It was built at the behest of Narcissus Marsh, Archbishop of Dublin and Provost of Trinity College, in 1701. It is the oldest public library in Ireland and one of the only eighteenth century buildings in Dublin still in use for its original purpose.
Some of the many manuscripts in the library
Marsh's own private collection went to making up the core of the manuscripts in the library along with those of the first Keeper of the library Dr Elias Bouhereau, a Huguenot refugee from France. While taking the tour of the library with the present Keeper, Dr Jason Elligott, I learned that Bouhereau managed to escape France with his entire library and most of his family. Unfortunately one of his daughters was held in France and forced into a convent never to be seen by the family again.
All the original woodwork has been retained in the library.
The interior of the library is really beautiful and worth seeing even without hearing about its interesting history. It's quite a dark space with oak shelves and gilded lettering. At the back of the library are three cages where readers used to be locked in when reading older, more precious, manuscripts, it might sound excessive but several hundred pieces have been stolen from the library over the last three hundred years!
One of the reading cages in the library. That's a plaster cast of Stella Johnson's skull, don't worry, it's not a reader the staff forgot about!
Finally there is no heating in the building. Preserving the books in Marsh's library takes precedence over human comfort! If you do visit, and I hope that you do, please dress appropriately, it can get really bitter in winter!
Archbishop Narcissus Marsh has an eye on all visitors to the library!
Note: Photography is prohibited in the library. On the day I was there I asked could I take pictures and was permitted as long as I didn't use flash.Marsh's Library
St Patrick's Close
Dublin 8
01 454 3511
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