We continue our Decade of Centenaries series by focusing on a scrapbook kept by Frank Carney, a prisoner in Ballykinlar Internment Camp. Frank Carney was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh on April 25, 1896. He joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at the outbreak of war in 1914, but due to continuous bouts of ill health, … Continue reading DOC Series: Ballykinlar Internment Camp
Academic, critic and poet Maurice Harmon will turn 90 years old on June 21st 2020. Harmon’s library and archive was transferred to UCD Special Collections in 2016. Harmon has been a towering figure in the field of Anglo Irish literature. The archive reflects the various aspects of Harmon’s work and demonstrates the pivotal role he … Continue reading Maurice Harmon turns 90
In these unprecedented times, people have been sharing poetry as a way to lift the public mood. Seamus Heaney’s words ‘If we can winter this one out, we can summer anywhere’ have offered solace and hope. Derek Mahon’s Everything’s going to be alright was been broadcast to the nation at the end of a news … Continue reading Words True and Kind
Following his untimely passing in December 2012, the personal library of the poet and critic Dennis O'Driscoll was bequeathed to University College Dublin. His wife, the poet Julie O'Callaghan, facilitated delivery of the extensive collection to UCD Library in 2017. The lion's share of O'Driscoll's library now resides in UCD Special Collections where it forms … Continue reading Dennis O’Driscoll Collection
How often do we take the time to consider the words we use to communicate? What do they reveal about our own history, and cultural heritage? Can one dialectical nuance yield all our secrets? There is a little-known collection within the National Folklore Collection UCD that seeks to shed some light on these complex questions. … Continue reading What’s in a word?
On 4th May 2018, Irish poet Thomas Kinsella turned 90 years old. An event hosted by the Lord Mayor of Dublin to mark this occasion was held in the Mansion House. UCD Library Special Collections holds the Thomas Kinsella Collection, containing over 700 items including books, pamphlets and ephemera which Kinsella generously donated to UCD … Continue reading Happy Birthday Mr. Kinsella