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
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module (Eagle) on the moon, as Michael Collins orbited the moon in the command module (Pilot). Apollo 11 was launched by a Saturn V rocket from Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16 and returned to Earth on July … Continue reading Fly me to the moon!
Books are inconspicuous – readily available objects that we see daily, and that line the shelves of our homes and offices. Items that some of us treasure, or collect in great numbers. This, of course, makes a book the perfect place to hide secrets. We see this time and again, with a concealed gun featuring … Continue reading Now you see it, now you don’t!
On 24th April 2019 and exhibition of the archive of the renowned Irish playwright Frank McGuinness was launched in UCD Special Collections. The exhibition displays handwritten and typescript drafts of McGuinness's most well-known and critically acclaimed plays including The Factory Girls, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me and Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the … Continue reading Frank McGuinness: From Creativity to Legacy
UCD Special Collections holds a wonderfully lavish four volume set of early 19th century books entitled Pitture de vasi antichi de la Collection de son Excellence M. le Chevalier Hamilton. Much is known about Sir William Hamilton the antiquities collector and the influence of the dissemination of the images from the vases has been well documented. … Continue reading The Beauty of Greek Vases
We have all, at one time or another, forgotten to return a borrowed book, or hung on to one lent to us for longer than we ought. Indeed, despite the best of intentions all manner of tomes and texts may at times holiday among our own collections for weeks, months or even years. Such is … Continue reading Your book is well overdue!
From a Jaunting Car to Civil War: Arthur Griffith arriving at the 2nd Dáil, 1921 The photograph shows a not unusual scene in Dublin in the 1920s. A single passenger sitting sideways on a side car pulled by a single horse and driven by a coachman - called a Jarvey in Ireland. The passenger in … Continue reading Jaysus, me Jarvey!
