Publication of 27th Annual Sir John T. Gilbert commemorative lecture

From left to right: Brendan Teeling (Deputy City Librarian, Dublin City Libraries); Professor Jane Ohlmeyer; Councillor Vincent Jackson (representing the Lord Mayor of Dublin); Tara Doyle (Senior Librarian, Dublin City Libraries)

Titled "Viragos and matrons: the lived experiences of women in seventeenth-century Dublin", the book uncovers stories of some of the women living in Dublin in the 17th century. Women’s stories in history can often be overlooked but Jane has mined the historical sources to reveal them and their capabilities. Professor Ohlmeyer used some of the historical records from the collections in Dublin City Library and Archive as part of her research. 

This is the publication of the annual Sir John T. Gilbert commemorative lecture but who was John T. Gilbert? A Dubliner, a writer, historian and librarian, Gilbert had a great interest in the history of Dublin and the documents, manuscripts and records that tell us that history. He spent his life researching the city’s history and played an important part in organising and preserving the records of Dublin Corporation. He was an avid book collector and amassed a personal library of books, manuscripts, newspapers and pamphlets. He researched and wrote the 3 volume book,  A History of the City of Dublin, published in the mid-1850s. 

After Gilbert’s death in 1898 Dublin Corporation purchased his library of circa 4,500 volumes for the people of Dublin and this amazing collection of books and manuscripts is now housed in Dublin City Library and Archive and is available for use, exactly as Gilbert would have wanted it to be. 

Download Viragos and Matrons here.  The publication can also be borrowed from BorrowBox or from your local library.