Given that one in five people born in Ireland now lives abroad, the story of our diaspora resonates with every family in the country.

A new exhibition based in Dublin tells the story of these immigrants, who travelled to every corner of the world. Located in the chq building, Epic Ireland chronicles 10 million journeys of Irish people across the globe under the themes of migration, motivation, influence and connection.

There are now 70 million people who can claim Irish heritage – an extraordinary figure given the size of Ireland. Indeed, the founder of Epic Ireland, Neville Isdell, is a member of the Irish diaspora himself – the former chair and CEO of Coca Cola left Ulster with his parents for Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) in the mid-1950s.

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Modern feel

There are 20 galleries in total, with visitors granted a passport before taking the tour. When we visited, it took just over an hour to visit them all, with many featuring a mix between video and interactive exhibitions and games. Designed by Event Communications, the multi-award winning designers of Titanic Belfast, it has a modern feel and is certainly user friendly for young and older audiences.

It is truly fascinating to look at the impact the diaspora have had in their adopted countries, in areas ranging from business and politics to arts and music.

There are some well-known faces, including Charles de Gaulle (was descended from John MacCartan who was exiled from Co Down in 1691) and actress Grace Kelly, whose roots can be traced to Co Mayo.

However, there are some less high-profile names, such as Dave Gallacher, who captained the original All-Blacks team and emigrated from Co Donegal in 1873, and Annie Besant, whose parents emigrated to London during the Famine. She went on to fight for worker’s rights in Victorian England.

It may sound like heavy stuff, but the presentation and interactive nature of the exhibition makes it a very enjoyable experience for any visitor.

Overall, Epic Ireland is a fantastic and long overdue addition to Ireland’s collection of museums.

Tickets for Epic Ireland cost €16 and are available now from the Epic Ireland website at www.epicirelandchq.com or for updates on Epic Ireland log on to https://www.facebook.com/epicirelandchq.

Winner

The winner of our Epic Ireland giveaway is Maeve Keating from Kiltra, Co Wexford. She won a family ticket to Epic Ireland, plus an overnight B&B stay for a family of four in Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane.