Ireland's Heritage Council has announced that nine museums across the country have been awarded full accreditation under its Museums Standards Programme for Ireland (MSPI).

Donegal County Museum; the GAA Museum; the National Gallery of Ireland; Monaghan County Museum and the National Print Museum are among those fully accredited. Muckross House, Muckross Research Library and Muckross Traditional Farms; Waterford Museum of Treasures; Butler Gallery; and Knock Museum were also recognised.

Meanwhile, a number of other heritage attractions were recipients of interim accreditation - including Limerick City Gallery of Art and the Museum of Free Derry. Irish arts, heritage and the Gaeltacht minister Jimmy Deenihan said: "The long-term aim is always to hand over to new generations the rich heritage which is our shared birthright."