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A closer look at a family object: A shillelagh from Ireland 

Two long and thorny black sticks have been handed down through generations in Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd’s family.

O’Dowd learns more from Noel Campbell, or Nollaig Mac Cathmhaoil in Gaelic. Campbell is assistant keeper, a curator, at the National Museum of Ireland in County Mayo.

As part of our series on the 250th anniversary of America, we’re looking at artifacts passed down from one generation to the next that tell the story of this country. 

Two long and thorny black sticks have been handed down through generations in Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd's family. (Peter O'Dowd/Here & Now)
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Two long and thorny black sticks have been handed down through generations in Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd's family. (Peter O'Dowd/Here & Now)

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom