one book leaving up against piles of books

On an Equal Footing with All

Ireland at the League of Nations 1923-1946

On 10 September 1923 the Irish Free State joined the League of Nations.

Ireland remained a member of the League until its dissolution in 1946.

League of Nations membership

A new international exhibition and publication "On an Equal Footing with All: Ireland at the League of Nations 1923-1946" marks a centenary of Ireland's entry to the League.

Forerunner to the United Nations

Set up in the wake of the First World War to oversee international security and disarmament, the League of Nations was a forerunner to the United Nations.

The exhibition draws on records relating to Ireland's membership and features official documents, photographs, recollections, letters and ephemera. These records have never been displayed in public before.

Accompanying the exhibition is a book, that explores Ireland's membership, of the same name "On an Equal Footing With All: Ireland and the League of Nations 1923-1946".

At a launch of the book in New York, at UNGA High-level Week, Tánaiste Micheál Martin T.D. said of the book and exhibition:

"...pays fitting tribute to those early days of our country’s efforts to establish itself internationally. So too, does the commemorative national stamp released by An Post recently."
exhibition text and illustration
Panels from the exhibition at the National Ploughing Championships, Ireland

Exhibition dates:

  • National Ploughing Championships, Ratheniska, Co. Laois, 19–21 September 2023
  • United Nations Building, Palais des Nations, 10 Geneva Dr 12533, Geneva, 25 September–6 October 2023
  • Dublin Festival of History, Printworks, Dublin Castle, 29 September–1 October 2023
  • United Nations Headquarters, 405, Lexington Avenue, New York, 10174, 20 November–1 December 2023
doorway
Exhibition at the National Ploughing Championships

The exhibition has been curated by Dr John Gibney (Assistant Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy, RIA), Dr Michael Kennedy (Executive Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy, RIA), and Zoë Reid (Keeper of Public Services and Collections, National Archives).

The book was written by John Gibney, Michael Kennedy and Zoë Reid.

The exhibition and accompanying book were developed in partnership with the Royal Irish Academy, National Archives, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Series of events

This is part of a series of events marking the centenary by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

“This final event in the Decade of Centenaries is a reminder of the importance of celebrating and learning from our past, and to safeguard the legacy of the League of Nations by fostering a peaceful world order for the future.”

Tánaiste Micheál Martin T.D.