Call-out for phones for Bantry’s fascinating museum

BY ELAINE DESMOND

BANTRY Museum is looking for mobile phones from the 1980s. 

On Wolfe Tone Square, the statue of Brendan the Navigator stands arms outstretched. His right arm points to the museum behind the fire station.

Although central, the local historical society hope to gain a more accessible location soon and are currently looking for new premises. 

The fastest way to find out about a region is to visit the local museum  – keepers of local people’s history. Manned by local volunteers from Bantry Historical Society with public donations from the surrounding area, Bantry Museum is floor-to-ceiling filled with interesting objects, photos and displays.

Vintage phones are one of the themed displays – push-button, rotary and wind-up. A Morse code box and information panels complete the display – so far. The museum would now welcome any donations of mobile phones from the 1980s – the era of shoulder pads, Dallas, neon graphics and, of course, the start of our mobile phone obsession.

In Ireland, most people came closest to early mobile phones by watching TV. Michael Douglas in Wall Street sported a Motorola brick-size phone. 

Miami Vice gave us shiny suits, sporty convertibles and state-of-the art mobile phones with aerials aloft. If anyone has a similar phone and  are happy to donate, Bantry Historical Society would welcome it to the museum.

It will join other interesting items, such as a 1963 Flatley Dryer, forerunner to the tumble dryer and produced in Bantry’s Flatley factory. 

A gramophone, salmon spear, vintage teapots, kettles, sea-green lotion bottles, pewter measures, medals, cannon balls and bowls squeeze onto other shelves.

Walls are filled with wonderful black and white photos of sporting teams, religious events, classmates and a large colour photograph of the aftermath of the Whiddy Island disaster.

There are many newspaper articles and a 1940s photo of a fisherman holding a very rare catch – a sturgeon almost the man’s length.

A display of shaving items includes a great information panel on the history of shaving – the barbers’ trade guild once amalgamated with the surgeons’ guild and were known as barber-surgeons!

Another fascinating display contains a variety of irons – electric, flat, Tilley (gas operated), fire and box. 

A mannequin wears a woman’s heavy black cloak worn up to the 1960s, lined with satin.   

Bantry Museum is open May to September, 10.30am to 4.30pm. Entry is free but donations, for the museum’s upkeep are welcome. If you have a mobile phone to donate contact [email protected] or call Hazel Vickery at 087 2278440.