A NUMBER of rare Olympic Games posters dating from 1896 to 2024 have been put on display at the Donegal County Museum.
On loan from the private collection of Paul Foley, this is the only exhibition of its kind in Ireland.
Organisers suggest Olympic posters are not only a piece of art but they provide us with a unique visual record of the world, documenting sport, art, geography, politics and culture.
Since 1912, each Olympic host city has commissioned one or more posters to celebrate the hosting of the Games and every poster has a story to tell.
Held every four years, the Summer Olympic Games brings together athletes from across the world to compete for the love of country and sport. The Paris 2024 Olympics begin on July 24.
While some of events have changed over the years, with sports regularly being added and removed, the popular sports persist, including gymnastics, swimming, and athletics.
The makeup of the participants has also evolved in response to social and national changes, offering a snapshot of geopolitics, a shift in women’s rights and the state of global affairs, leading to Games that reflect the state of the world.
The posters on display in the county’s museum in Letterkenny are not only a memento of the Olympic Games but they celebrate physical and sporting achievement, and offer inspiration to the Olympians of tomorrow.
Many of the posters are iconic designs from the 1936 Berlin games, Tokyo 1964 to the 1980 Moscow Games.
In addition, there is the Olympic collection of Danny McDaid OLY from Letterkenny, a 2-time Irish Olympic athlete. He was a pioneer of athletics in Donegal and is currently a member of Letterkenny Athletic Club.
Danny competed for Ireland at two Olympic Games; Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. He was the first Irishman to cross the finish line at the 1972 games.
‘An Olympic Journey’ exhibition runs until the end of June at Donegal County Museum, High Road, Letterkenny. Admission is free and all are welcome.
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