Blogs

Transcript of 'The Effects of War-Time Censorship on Historical Sources regarding the North Strand Bombing 1941' by Kevin O’Connor, at North Strand Bombing and the Emergency in Ireland seminar held at Dublin City Library & Archive on Saturday, 29th May 2010.

Listen to a talk by Jerusha McCormack on John Gray and celebrity culture.

Opening of the Public Libraries. The Freeman’s Journal, Thursday, October 2, 1884."Yesterday, at four o’clock, escorted by mounted police and the mace and sword-bearer, with the insignia of their office, the Right Hon. The Lord Mayor M.P, opened at 100 Capel Street the first public library and reading room, under the Public Libraries Act of 1855, which has been built in Dublin ...At a quarter to five o’clock his lordship, accompanied by his private staff and the civic officers, and escorted as before, arrived at 23 Thomas Street, where the second free library [was] situated ..In declaring it also open ...he hoped that all would be found sitting side by side, furnishing storing their minds with that knowledge, the possession of which ensured success."The beginnings of Dublin’s public libraries can be traced to the Public Libraries (Ireland) Act of 1855 which empowered councils of municipal boroughs and towns with populations in excess of 5,000 or more, to establish free public libraries and also museums or schools of science and, or art.Significantly, the legislation was ‘enabling’, its implementation requiring the agreement of at least two thirds of the burgesses present at a public meeting called by the council. Something amazing happened in Dublin on the 19th March 1877. A large and prestigious gathering comprising the burgesses of the city came together in the Mansion House. They listened to the arguments put by Councillor Edmund Dwyer Grey in moving a motion that “The burgesses should resolve to tax themselves if they desired to have the Act put into operation.” and they agreed to do so.So began a lengthy process leading towards the opening of Dublin’s first free municipal libraries at Capel Street and Thomas Street in October 1884.Heralding a city council policy of social inclusion and intention to support learning for all, both fundamental to the philosophy underpinning the public library movement, the day of opening saw Lord Mayor, William Meagher, emphasising his enthusiasm for the establishment of the free libraries. They were to be for “every class” and the only test for admission should be in “a decent exterior and becoming conduct”.The scene was set for a public library system in Dublin which has developed in 2009 from those small, ‘book only’ beginnings in converted tenement houses, to a network of city-wide service points equipped with modern technologies and to a virtual service environment which could not have been imagined in the Dublin of 1884.The story of evolution has had many chapters including those related to buildings, to collections and people, to be detailed elsewhere. But critically, the most significant chapter is that ever re-occurring one in which Dublin’s library service has continued to develop its services in accordance with the needs of its citizens of all ages, educational levels and social status, for learning opportunity.Through books and modern media, through extending access to the global knowledge base and through complementary programming, it continues to make a difference in the lives of Dublin’s citizens. In noting that in 2009, the year of its 125th anniversary, it attracted over two million citizens to its services, it is appropriate to record our thanks to those burgesses of 1877 Dublin who had the vision to set in motion the evolution of what Thomas Davis described, as our public “university of the people”.Deirdre Ellis-King

Old and modern books in Irish held in the collections of Dublin City Library and Archive.Leabhair Gaeilge idir sean agus nua i Leabharlann agus Cartlann Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath.SEE Dublin and Irish Collections.You can also view the following images on flickrVisit:Dublin City Library and Archive138 -144 Pearse Street,Dublin 2,Ireland.email: [email protected]

'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.

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.

As part of Culture Night, 'Songlines' - an evening of words and music took place in Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse Street. A group of new writers read from their work and musicians performed traditional and classical music.

'Dublin City Public Libraries 1884-2009: 125 years of service to the community', a talk by Deirdre Ellis-King, Dublin City Librarian commemorates 125 years of Public Library Service in Dublin City. The talk was part of Local History Day 26 September, 2009.

'Ceithre seachtaine, Carnán scéalta: Cromail i mBaile Atha Cliath, 1649' (Four Weeks, a collection of stories of Cromwell in Dublin 1649) by Dr Maighréad Ní Mhurchadha. Thug Dr Maighréad Ní Mhurchadha, (léachtóir agus staraí), léacht gearr mar gheall ar na scéalta atá ag baint le saol Cromail i mBaile Átha Cliath. Is as Cathair Bhaile Átha Cliath ó dhúchas í Maighréad agus tá roinnt leabhar agus roinnt altanna sna hirisí stairiúla foilsithe aici.On 9 March 2009, Maighréad Ní Mhurchadha, (lecturer and historian), gave a talk on stories relating to Oliver Cromwell. Maighréad is a native of Dublin and has published books and journal articles including Early Modern Dubliners, published by Dublin City Public Libraries.Thank-you for listening! To hear more, please subscribe to the Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.

Early modern Dublin was a massive time of growth from Dublin as it transformed from a small medieval city to the modern city we recognise today. In this lecture, 'Dublin's civic buildings in the early modern period' Professor Colm Lennon takes us on a journey through the city, highlighting the key buildings, many of which have become landmark features of Dublin.