UCD Special Collections contain a rich variety of book, archival and manuscript collections spanning four centuries of Irish history and culture, and encompassing such diverse subjects as literature, Gaelic language and folklore, music, genealogy and political history. This includes the libraries inherited from UCD's antecedent institutions, the Catholic University of Ireland and the Royal College of Science for Ireland.
The collection also contains named collections such as the Curran Laird collection, the libraries of Thomas Kinsella, Austin Clarke and Dennis O'Driscoll, the Franciscan Collection of Early Printed books as well as the archival collections of hugely significant Irish literary figures of the 20th and 21st centuries including Mary Lavin, Frank McGuinness, Maeve Binchy and Patrick Kavanagh. Learn more about UCD Special Collections here.
The Kavanagh Archive was assembled by Patrick Kavanagh's brother Peter and purchased from Peter for UCD Library Special Collections through a national fundraising project in 1986. The collection is vast, comprising c. 50 boxes of material including Kavanagh’s published poetry, novels, prose writing and periodicals; early versions of his works in handwritten and typescript drafts, and galley page proofs; correspondence with family, friends and the literary world; and an array of printed material including press cuttings, publications, personal memorabilia, photographs, and tape recordings.
Expore the videos to see inside the archive, presented by Evelyn Flanagan, Head of UCD Special Collections.
