In line with the national move to Level 5 Dublin City branch libraries are closed as and from Thursday December 24th until further notice. We continue to operate our home delivery and online services.
Listen to Liz D’Arcy talk about conserving the Wide Street Commission Maps. Hear how she painstakingly removed sellotape, cleaned, repaired and strengthened these important maps. Liz D'Arcy, Paperworks, Studio for Paper Conservation is qualified with an MA in Conservation of Fine Art on Paper. Liz is an accredited member of the 'Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic works in Ireland' (I.C.H.A.W.I) and a member of the 'Irish Professional Conservators and Restorers Association' (I.P.C.R.A).Between 1757- 1851, the Wide Street Commission had a major impact on the development of the city, transforming it from a medieval city to the Dublin we know today. Its function was to provide “Wide and Convenient Streets” for Dublin and it had extensive powers to acquire property by compulsory purchase, develop new streets, demolish buildings and impose design standards on building lots which were sold to developers. Dublin City Archives hold the Wide Street Commission Archives, which comprises maps, minute books and drawings. www.dublincityarchives.ieRead more about the conservation project and view Wide Street Commission map collection image gallery.Search and browse the Archive of the Wide Street Commission Maps online.Conserving Wide Street Commission Maps - TranscriptAudio only:Recorded at Dublin City Hall on 24 August 2016 at Dublin City Archives' 'Living in Georgian Dublin' seminar. Part of Heritage Week 2016 programme.Dublin City Archives is grateful to the Heritage Council of Ireland for funding under the Heritage Management Project Scheme 2016 to conserve 23 Wide Street Commission Maps in 2016. Conservation NoticeIn order to reduce handling damage and to ensure the long term preservation of these fragile maps, all researchers are requested to view the digitised images in the first instance. High-Res versions can be provided on request. Viewing of original maps is strictly by appointment only: please apply to [email protected] Please note: A minimum of 3 days notice is required to process your request and a maximum of 10 maps may be ordered per visit.
Listen to Harold Clarke's charming account of restoring the beautiful Georgian building, no. 19 North Great George's Street. When Harold first viewed the house it was suffering from 180 years of dereliction but he recognised its beauty and bought it just three days later.In this illustrated talk, Harold outlines the challenges he faced during his faithful restoration of the house, its long history, and the delightful features he uncovered, most particularly its beautiful decorative plasterwork. The before and after photographs offer a fascinating insight into this most successful restoration process. I'm sure you will agree the results are splendid, from the beauty of the friezes and plasterwork in the drawing room and dining room, to the library room with its ceiling painted in the Dublin colours, the 100 stepped staircase, the entrance hall and the garden room.Recorded at Dublin City Hall on 24 August 2016 at Dublin City Archives' 'Living in Georgian Dublin' seminar. Part of Heritage Week 2016 programme.Restoration of no. 19 North Great George's Street by Harold Clarke - TranscriptAudio only:See Also: In his talk Harold mentions Conor Lucey's work on Michael Stapleton, which is available to borrow from our catalogue The Stapleton collection: designs for the Irish neoclassical interior (2007).
Alleys, annals and anecdotes: a new look at Gilbert's History of Dublin given by Séamas Ó Maitiú, on Thursday 23rd January 2014 at 6.00pm, at Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Dr. Séamas Ó Maitiú holds an MA in local History and was awarded a PhD by the National University of Ireland for his thesis on the development of Dublin suburbs in the 19th century. He is the author of several books including Dublin's Suburban Towns, 1834-1930 and W. & R. Jacob: celebrating 150 years of Irish biscuit making.TranscriptListen to the talk while following the presentation: Audio only:About John T. Gilbert and the Gilbert LibraryJohn T. Gilbert's valuable library of mainly 17th and 18th century books and manuscripts relating to Dublin and Ireland was purchased by Dublin Corporation after his death in 1898. It forms the nucleus of the special collections of Dublin City Public Libraries.Born in 1829, Gilbert was author of the influential three volume 'History of the city of Dublin', published from 1857-59. He was a firm advocate of documenting the history of his native city using primary sources. His work on manuscripts relating to the city alerted him to the need for the preservation of Irish public records, many of which were in a neglected and vulnerable condition. He commenced a campaign, which eventually led to the setting up of the Public Records Office in the Four Courts. He calendared the records of Dublin Corporation, which date from the twelfth century, and began the series of printed volumes The calendar of ancient records of the city of Dublin.The printed catalogue of the books and manuscripts of the Gilbert collection compiled by Douglas Hyde, LL.D & D.J. O'Donoghue is available for consultation in the Reading Room. View John T. Gilbert in the library online catalogue.
On 24 January 2011 the fourteenth annual Sir John T. Gilbert Commemorative Lecture was held at Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street. The lecture was delivered by Christopher Fitz-Simon, author of 'The Boys', 'Eleven Houses' and 'Buffoonery and Easy Sentiment'. The lecture detailed Mr Kennedy Miller's successful Irish theatre company which toured Ireland and Britain during the period 1889 - 1906. Dr Fitz-Simon discussed plays Kennedy Miller directed, outlined the strengths and signature roles of some of the Company's accomplished actors, and considered what made Irish melodrama so distinct and so popular at that time.TranscriptWatch a short video of images from the collections of Dublin City Library & Archive featured in the lecture and in Dr Fitz-Simon's book 'Buffoonery and Easy Sentiment':This lecture was published by Dublin City Public Libraries in 2012. ‘More details on Mr J. Kennedy Miller's very capable company of Irish players publication.
'Rediscovering Emmet's Dublin through the Collections of Dublin City Libraries' by Dr Máire Kennedy, Divisional Librarian with Dublin City Public Libraries in charge of Special Collections. Introduction by Aidan O'Hara, Emmet and Devlin Committee. The 8th Annual Emmet Spring Lecture hosted by the Emmet and Devlin Committee and Dublin City Public Libraries, was recorded at Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse Street on 15 March 2010.TranscriptListen to the talk while following the presentation:Audio only (with introduction by Aidan O'Hara, Emmet and Devlin Committee):Thank-you for listening! To hear more, please subscribe to the Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.
On 21 January 2010 the thirteenth annual Sir John T. Gilbert Commemorative Lecture, 'Commodious temples: Catholic church building in nineteenth-century Dublin' was held at Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street. The lecture was given by Brendan Grimes, Dublin School of Architecture, D.I.T. Bolton Street. Brendan Grimes' lecture, Commodious temples: Catholic church building in nineteenth-century Dublin, brought the audience on a fascinating tour of Dublin churches such as Saint Nicholas of Myra's, Saint Audeon's and Saint Francis Xavier's.This lecture was published by Dublin City Public Libraries in 2011. More information on Commodious Temples publication.TranscriptListen to the talk while following the presentation:Audio only:Thank-you for listening! To hear more, please subscribe to the Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.
Dublin City has a remarkable collection of historical documents, many of which are under the care of Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive. Dr Maighread Ní Mhurchadha has drawn on the contents of these and other records to tell the stories of some of Dublin's residents during the Renaissance period in her book Early Modern Dubliners. Despite many difficulties, including plague, riots, the threat of war and serious religious differences, the citizens maintained a spirit of independence, a belief in the importance of their city and a strong sense of community, often using unorthodox means to achieve their ends and, occasionally, even managing to enjoy themselves!This talk marked the launch of the Early Modern Dubliners on the 28th August, 2008.Search the library catalogue for Early Modern Dubliners.TranscriptListen to the talk while following the presentation:Audio only:Thank-you for listening! To hear more, please subscribe to the Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.
