Many thanks to Barracks Curator Jim O’Keefe and Derek Feehan for hosting our Leaving Certificate History class at James Stephens Barracks, Kilkenny. Students received a fascinating guided tour of the museum collection before taking part in an ‘Adopt an Artefact’ activity, selecting an object that captured their interest for further research and interpretation. Their completed research work will now be prepared for display in the museum alongside the artefacts themselves, and we are very grateful for this valuable partnership with CBC Kilkenny.
Among the artefacts chosen was a Chauchat light machine gun from the First World War, notorious among soldiers for its awkward handling and tendency to jam in the mud of trench warfare because of its unusual open-sided magazine. Having handled it themselves, students could certainly understand its reputation as one of the most notoriously unwieldy machine guns in military history.
Another popular artefact was a Snider-Enfield breech-loading carbine mechanism. This shortened, lighter version of a standard infantry rifle was described by students as the ultimate Victorian military ‘recycling project’. Rather than manufacture entirely new rifles in the 1860s, the British Army converted thousands of older muzzle-loading muskets using the ingenious hinged breech system designed by Jacob Snider. Students were fascinated to learn how many later found a second life outside the army as shortened poacher’s guns, easily concealed beneath a heavy coat.
The class also examined Victorian officers’ mess cutlery bearing the markings of the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards. These finely decorated silver-plated pieces reflected the highly formal dining culture of British army officers in the 19th century and reminded students that military history is not only about warfare and weaponry, but also about everyday life, identity and social class.
A memorable day of local history, hands-on learning and research, bringing national and international history to life through Kilkenny’s own military heritage.