03.11.2025
Nor the Years Condemn: Contested Histories and the Acts of Remembrance Exhibition
Throughout the month of November, a time traditionally designated for remembrance of those impacted by war and conflict, an exhibition is being hosted in the North Transept of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, which explores the act of remembrance and conflict memorial.
While these acts have a long history, with many objects and items remembering those fallen in the First World War, some symbols of remembrance have contested or controversial histories. Flags, poppies, and monuments hold meanings which have at times been misunderstood, misrepresented, or are points of contention as symbols of a colonial past.
The exhibition explores these difficult topics, tracking the history of war remembrance from the 17th Century right through to the watershed period of the First World War, and up to the present day with the annual Poppy Appeal and Remembrance Sunday service. The exhibition seeks to open a dialogue around these symbols and acts, while contextualising and fostering understanding of the long tradition of memorial and remembrance continued in the space to the present day.