Blogs

'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. Professor Lennon draws on sources including Malton's prints and famous maps of Dublin by Rocque, Brooking and de Gomme to trace the development of civic buildings in the 17th and early 18th centuries.The twelfth annual Sir John T. Gilbert Lecture was recorded on 22 January 2009 at Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street.TranscriptThis lecture was published by Dublin City Public Libraries in 2010. More information on Dublin's civic buildings in the early modern period.'Thank-you for listening! To hear more, please subscribe to the Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.

As part of Culture Night, 19 September 2008 a group of new writers read from their work at Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street.  You can read more of their work in Sixteen after Ten, an anthology of writing by students from the Oscar Wilde Centre and Blaiseadh Pinn : Nuascríbhneoireacht Ghaeilge, by members of Scríbhneoirí Óga and published by Cois Life.The Oscar Wilde Centre, Trinity College Dublin opened in January 1998 as the teaching and research centre for M.Phil. in Irish Writing and the M.Phil. in Creative Writing. Sixteen after Ten is a significant milestone in the writing life of its contributors. Students from the centre reading on Culture Night were Niall Duff, Philip St. John, Mary Turley-McGrath, Phyl Herbert, Carmen Cullen, Andrew Fox and Emily Firetog.Scríbhneoirí Óga is Úra na Gaeilge was founded in 2007 to cultivate new Irish-language literature. Its members are young and have diverse literary interests including drama and poetry. Reading on Culture Night were Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh, Caitríona Ní Chléirchín, Majella McDonnell, Ríona Nic Congáil, Ruth Nic Giolla Iasachta and Scott de Buitléir.

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.

Barry Cunningham and Mary Byrne presented a tips and advice session aimed at writers of children's literature in Dublin City Library and Archive on 23 February 2008. The practical advice centred on elements of successful children's literature and the publishing and marketing process. In association with the Verbal Arts Centre in Derry.Mary Byrne worked in the children's publicity department of Puffin for years and she is now a PR consultant specialising in children's books. She plans campaigns for children's writers such as Cornelia Funke, Darren Shan, Cathy Hopkins, Derek Landy and Kate Thompson. She works closely with The Chicken House, Harper Collins and Picadilly Press.Barry Cunningham was the Marketing Director for Puffin, while there he worked with many of the great names in children's publishing including Roald Dahl, Mary Norton and Spike Milligan. He then set up the children's publishing wing of Bloomsbury and while there he discovered JK Rowling. He set up his own publishing company The Chicken House in 2000. The Chicken House has published best selling books by Cornelia Funke, Kevin Brooks, Lucy Christopher and Rachel Ward and bestselling The Tunnels series by Roderick Gordon.Thank-you for listening! To hear more, please subscribe to the Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.

On 23 January 2008 the eleventh annual Sir John T. Gilbert Lecture, 'River, rivalry and revolt: history of the built fabric of Dublin City' by Dr Christine Casey was held at Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street. Dr Christine Casey is lecturer at the School of Art History and Cultural Policy, UCD. Her lecture looks at how three elements the river, rivalry with London and revolution helped influence and shape the topography of Dublin.TranscriptThis lecture was published by Dublin City Public Libraries in 2009. Details of Christine Casey's publication.Thank-you for listening! To hear more, please subscribe to the Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.

To celebrate the tercentenary of Charles Wesley's birth Dublin City Library presented The Underestimated Mr Wesley, a lecture by Dudley Levistone Cooney.Charles Wesley was a leader of the Methodist movement and younger brother of John Wesley. Wesley is primarily remembered as a writer of hymns including the Christmas favourite Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. He was also one of the most prolific poets in the English Language.Dudley Levistone Cooney historian and writer is President of Wesley Historical Society in Ireland and President of Old Dublin Society and author of Methodists in Ireland: a short history.TranscriptThe lecture was held in Dublin City Library and Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2 on 18th December 2007, the 300th anniversary of the birth of Charles Wesley. Introduction by Alastair Smeaton, 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.

In this podcast, entitled "Through streets broad and narrow": a history of Dublin’s trams', Michael Corcoran discusses the history of Dublin's trams, the men who drove them and how they intersected with events in Dublin's history such as the 1913 Lockout and the 1916 Rising. The tenth annual Sir John T Gilbert Commemorative Lecture was recorded at Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street on 23 January 2007.Michael Corcoran is a retired staff member of Dublin City Council and founding member of the National Transport Museum at Howth. Michael’s illustrated lecture, "Through streets broad and narrow": a history of Dublin’s trams, was received with enthusiasm by the audience. Michael's large range of slides and entertaining delivery made it a memorable evening. Members of the audience shared many memories of Dublin trams. One former tramway worker, Jimmy Wylie, was present and he brought some wonderful staff photographs to show everyone.TranscriptThis lecture was published by Dublin City Public Libraries in 2008. More information on "Through streets broad and narrow" publication.Thank-you for listening! To hear more, please subscribe to the Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.