The Walton Collection

The Walton Collection: posters, maps and paintings of revolutionary Ireland

The Walton Collection is an Irish collection dedicated to Ireland's revolutionary history, with particular focus on the 1916 Rising and the figure of Michael Collins. Its catalogue brings together reproductions of historical posters, maps and paintings, presented in carefully crafted and restored frames. The collection is organised around several thematic lines that range from the Easter Rising to Irish historical cartography.

Michael Collins: paintings and commemorative items

The collection dedicated to Michael Collins covers different aspects of his life and legacy as a revolutionary leader. Among the highlights is a 1922 painting by Leo Whelan, presented as the only work for which Collins sat in Dublin during his lifetime. Whelan painted it as part of a commission to portray the thirteen members of the new Provisional Government cabinet. The collection also includes works such as the portrait of Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins by Sir John Lavery, as well as the commemorative piece An Saorstát.

Posters of the leaders of the Easter Rising

The posters of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, most of which are exact copies of the originals from the period, commemorate the figures who led the insurrection. The series includes the signatories of the Proclamation and other key figures: Thomas Clarke, P.H. Pearse, James Connolly, Sean MacDiarmada, Éamonn Ceannt, Edward Daly, Major John MacBride, The O'Rahilly, Miceal O'Hanrahan, J.J. Heuston, Countess Markievicz, William H. Pearse, Con Colbert, Joseph Plunkett, Thomas McDonagh and Roger Casement. For the latter, a copy of a 1916 lithograph on stone, drawn from life, is offered.

The Proclamation, newspapers and British authority posters

Another section brings together rare copies of the 1916 Proclamation, Pearse's 'War News' published on the Tuesday of the Rising, and posters from the British military authority during Easter Week. The catalogue also includes 1916 newspapers that reported on the events: Evening Herald, Dublin Evening Mail, Irish Times, Irish Independent, as well as Weekly Times, The Freeman's Journal and Daily Mail, the latter three announced as coming soon. These pieces are presented as testimonies to the events that marked Dublin and altered the country's history.

Irish historical cartography

The cartographic collection covers antique maps of Irish interest and Ordnance Survey maps of the counties of Ireland (1824-1946). Among the pieces cited are Speed's maps of the provinces of Ireland (c. 1610), organised by county; Morden's map of the Kingdom of Ireland (c. 1695); and Rocque's maps of Dublin city and county (c. 1756-1760). A wall-hanging map of Europe in Irish is also included.

19th and 20th century prints and posters

The catalogue incorporates 19th-century Irish scenic prints, including Bartlett's 'Scenery and Antiquities of Ireland' (c. 1840), with pieces by county such as Kerry and Cork. It also offers 19th-century posters, such as the 1881 Land League poster, and a line of historical posters designed for Irish pubs and hospitality venues. The collection is completed with books and a biography of Martin A. Walton.

Exhibition and founder

The website features an interview with the founder, David Walton, under the title 'The Walton Collection Exhibition', in which the collection and its origins are presented.