As part of our Research Guide Section 4 – The visitor is given a list of Libraries, Institutions and Military Tours that will be of interest. This page lists all the libraries.
Directory of Libraries
Search alphabetically by Name:
A B C D F G I K L M N O R S T W
A
B
Belfast Central Library
Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1EA.
Tel: 04890 243233
E-mail : Belfast Central Library
The library’s Belfast, Ulster and Irish Studies department holds a complete set of Ireland’s Memorial Records 1914-1918. It also holds the Francis Joseph Bigger collection that includes rare books and bound manuscripts dealing with the Irish regiments in the service of France during the 1700s. British military periodicals held in the General Reference library include theAir Force List (1935-), Army List, (1811), Navy List (1915-onwards), Illustrated War News (1914-1918) and Army and Navy Illustrated (1895-1905). There are also collections of Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research and the Irish Sword, journal of the Military History Society of Ireland.
C
Carlow County Library
Tullow Street,
Carlow.
Tel: 0503 70094
E-mail: Carlow County Library
Cavan County Library
Farnham Street,
Cavan.
Tel: 049 4331799
Email: Cavan County library
Chester Beatty Library
The Clock Tower Building,
Dublin Castle,
Dublin 2.
Tel: 01 4070750
E-mail: The Chester Beatty Library
Website: www.cbl.ie
The library hold the series ‘Regiments of the British Army’ in their regimental bindings.
Clare County Library HQ
Mill Road,
Ennis,
Co. Clare.
Tel: 065 6821616
E-mail: Clare County Library
Website: www.clarelibrary.ie
Cork City Library
Grand Parade,
Cork.
Tel: 021 4277110
E-mail: Cork City library
Website: www.corkcitylibrary.ie/
As well as general military titles and publications such as the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society the library holds a number of rare tiles such as the Record of the North Cork Regiment of Militia and the Regimental Records of the 3rd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers.
Cork County Library HQ
Farranlea Road,
Cork.
Tel: 021 4546499
E-mail: Cork County Library
Website: www.corkcoco.com/cccmm/services/library/index.htm
D
Derry Central Library
Foyle Street,
Derry City.
Tel: 028 71272300
E-mail: Derry Central Library
Donegal County Library
Administrative Centre,
Rosemount,
Letterkenny,
Co. Donegal.
Tel: 074 21968
E-mail: Donegal County Library
The Library’s special collection has a section on Peadar O’Donnell, commander of the IRA in north east Donegal during the War of Independence and an activist on the Anti-Treaty side in the Civil War. Also available is a collection relating to Patrick MacGill, the Donegal novelist who served with the London Irish Rifles during the First World War and wrote 8 books on life in the trenches.
Dublin Public Libraries Information & Cultural Heritage Services
Cumberland House,
Fenian Street,
Dublin 2.
Tel: 01 6619000
E-mail: Email Dublin Public Services
Website: www.iol.ie/resource/dublincitylibrary
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Library
Duncairn House (1st Floor),
14 Carysfort Avenue,
Blackrock,
Co. Dublin.
Tel: 01 278 1788
E-mail: Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Library
Website: www.dlrcoco.ie/library
The library holds a collection of front pages of the national press, and pro and anti-Treaty newspapers from the Civil War period.
F
Fingal County Library HQ
County Hall,
Swords,
Co. Dublin.
Tel: 01 8905524
E-mail: Fingal County Library
Website: www.fingalcoco.ie
G
Galway County Library HQ
Island House,
Cathedral Square,
Galway.
Tel: 091 562471/565039
E-mail: Galway County Library
Website: //indigo.ie/~gallibr
Gilbert Library
138/142 Pearse Street,
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 6777662
E-mail: Gilber Library
Extensive collections of national and radical political newspapers. Holds the Gilbert collection relating to the history of Dublin. Currently under refurbishment.
I
Irish Labour History Museum and Archives
Beggars Bush,
Haddington Road,
Dublin 4.
Tel: 01 6681071
Email: Irish Labour History Museum
The ILHS library contains books relating to the labour movement during the War of Independence and Irish volunteers for the Spanish republic as well as more general Irish historical works.
Access by appointment.
K
Kerry County Library HQ
Moyderwell,
Tralee,
Co. Kerry.
Tel: 066 7121200
E-mail: Kerry County Library
Website: www.kerrycountylibrary.com/
The special collections section of the library has a collection relating to Thomas Ashe, the Kerry born leader of the Ashbourne ambush during the 1916 Rising, who died on hunger strike during 1917. There is also a collection of material on Roger Casement who was captured attempting to bring German guns ashore in Kerry at Easter 1916.
Kildare County Library HQ
Athgarvan Road,
Droichead Nua,
Co. Kildare.
Tel: 045 431486/431109
E-mail: Kildare County Library HQ
Website: www.kildare.ie/library/library/index.html
Kildare History and Family Research Centre
Riverbank,
Newbridge,
Co. Kildare.
Tel: 045 433602/431611
E-mail: Kildare History & Family Research Centre
The local studies department has some publications and journals dealing with the history of the Curragh Camp and army barracks. It also holds local newspapers on microfilm.
Kilkenny County Library HQ
6, John’s Quay,
Kilkenny
Tel: 056 22021/22606
E-mail: Kilkenny County Library HQ
Website: www.kilkennycoco.ie/
The local studies department has numerous sources relating to various conflicts, including the rebellions of 1798, 1848 and 1867, the 1916-23 period, the two World Wars and Irish United Nations missions. The material is contained in books, journal articles, files and newspaper extracts. Among the local journals of interest are the Old Kilkenny Review and Decies-Old Waterford Society. Newspaper sources are available on microfilm in the Local Studies Department.
L
Laois County Library HQ
County Library,
Kea-Lew Buisness Park,
Portlaoise,
Co. Laois.
Tel: 0502 72340/41
E-mail: Laois County Library HQ
There are a small number of files relating to military activity in the library.
Leitrim County Library
Ballinamore,
Co. Leitrim.
Tel: 078 44012
Fax: 078 44425
E-mail: Leitrim County Library
The local studies section of the library contains numerous items of military interest. There are press cuttings, files and journal (especially in Breifne) articles on local involvement in the 1798 rebellion and the subsequent French landings in the west, as well as material on the Spanish Armada and the American Civil War. There is also a substantial amount of material on Leitrim and Longford men’s service in World War One. The collection also includes autograph books, internment orders and memoirs of the War of Independence and Civil War periods, especially dealing with the Selton Hill ambush of 1921 in which six IRA volunteers were killed.
Limerick City Library
The Granary,
Michael Street,
Limerick.
Tel: 061 314668/415799
E-mail: Limerick City Library
Website: www.limerick.ie/library/localstudies.
This library holds several books related to Limerick’s role in military history and the Journal of the Royal Munster Fusiliers Association. The library’s collection of the Old Limerick Journal is a significant source for military heritage, especially that related to the Limerick region. The 1990 edition was a special devoted to the 1690 siege, for example. The library has a collection of Limerick War News dating from the Civil War. Another important source is a list of all military references in the Limerick City Trade Directories, 1769-1879. The Library now has a lot of genealogy and local studies materials available online from this site.
Limerick County Library HQ
58 O’Connell Street,
Limerick.
Tel: 061 214452
E-mail: Limerick County Library HQ
The library holds a full collection of the Old Limerick Journal that features extensive coverage of military history. Previous articles relate particularly to matters of Limerick or mid-west interest and include ‘Limerick and the Spanish Civil War’, ‘The Royal Munster Fusiliers 1914-1918’, ‘The Munsters in South Africa 1899-1902’, ‘The Limerick City Militia 1798’,and the ‘Defences of Ireland 1793-1815, the Shannon Estuary’.
Linenhall Library Belfast
17 Donegall Square North,
Belfast BT1 5GB.
Tel: 04890 321707
E-mail: Linenhall Library Belfast
Website: www.linenhall.com/
The library holds an extensive collection of books, periodicals and newspapers relating to the history of Belfast. It was founded in 1788 and one of its first librarians was the United Irishman, Thomas Russel. The library has substantial collections relating to the 1798 period, as well as the Northern Ireland Political Collection, the single most important archive of the conflict from 1969 onwards. This holds over 11,500 books and documents, 2,000 periodicals and 75,000 other items.
For information on this collection contact: Email Y Murphy
Longford County Library HQ
Town Centre,
Longford.
Tel: 043 41124/41125
E-mail: Longford County Library HQ
The library holds record books of the Co. Longford Militia, (1783-1855) and the list of Longford born soldiers killed in action while serving with British Regiments in the Great War. There are also a limited number of statements of local activists in the War of Independence.
Louth County Library
Roden Place,
Dundalk,
Co. Louth.
Tel: 042 9353190
Fax: 042 9337635
The library holds an extensive collection of journals and locally produced histories including two on the Louth Rifles (1854-1908). Publications such as the Louth Archaeological Journal, Journal of Old Drogheda and Tempest’s Annual which carry articles on subjects as diverse as Dundalk soldiers killed in the First World War, and Louth Wild Geese veterans in the French Army during the 1700s. The library also has the twelve volumes of Ireland’s Memorial Records, which lists 49,435 dead of the First World War. The special collections section of the library holds a minute book from the Louth Local Defence Force, 1940-1941.
M
Mayo County Library
Mountain View,
Castlebar,
Co.Mayo.
Tel: 094 24444
E-mail: Mayo County Library
Website: www.mayo-ireland.ie/Mayo/CoDev/Mayolibs.htm
The library has a collection relating to Mayo’s role in the 1798 Rebellion. There is a collection on Michael Davitt, the Fenian and Land League leader and also a limited amount of material relating to the local IRA during the War of Independence.
Meath County Library HQ
Railway Street,
Navan,
Co. Meath.
Tel: 046 21451/21134
E-mail: Meath County Library HQ
Monaghan County Library HQ
The Diamond,
Clones,
Co. Monaghan.
Tel: 047 51143
E-mail: Monaghan County Library HQ
The library holds the Marron papers, which contain interviews with local veterans of the revolutionary period.
N
National Library of Ireland
2/3 Kildare St,
Dublin 2.
Tel: 01 6030200
Fax: 01 6766690
E-mail: National Library of Ireland
Website: www.nli.ie/Default.htm
It is likely that anyone conducting research into Irish military history will have to visit the National Library. You should be able to access all national and local newspapers, and all journals and periodicals published in Ireland there. You should certainly be able to find any book published in this country in their collections. However it is worthwhile to be aware that it takes several years for newer publications to become available to readers and that a major effort is being made to preserve the newspaper collection by placing it on microfilm. Hence several newspaper collections will be unavailable at any one time. Anyone wishing to use the National Library must apply for a reader’s ticket.
Details available at : www.nli.ie/en/readers-tickets.aspx
Opening Hours:
Mon-Wed 10.00am-9.00pm
Thurs-Fri 10.00am-5.00pm
Saturday 10.00am-1.00pm.
The Ephemera Dept. is the newest department in the National Library with over 100,000 items; including the largest and best preserved collection of WWI posters in the island of Ireland currently. The collection is constantly being added to with purchases and donations and, with in excess of over 700 items relating to WWI alone, these include posters, postcards, handbills, proclamations, cigarette cards, memorial cards, cartoons etc., that support recruitment and those that were against conscription. Those who wish to see this material require a full NLI Readers’ Ticket; appointment days are:
Mondays and Tuesdays (9.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. and 2 – 5p.m.).
See more detail at www.nli.ie/en/udlist/ephemera-collections.aspx
North Eastern Education & Library Board
Area Library,
25-31 Demesne Avenue,
Ballymena,
Co. Antrim BT43 7BG
Tel: 04825 664100
E-mail: North Eastern Education & Library
O
Offaly County Library
O’Connor Square,
Tullamore,
Co. Offaly.
Tel: 0506 46833/46834
E-mail: Offaly County Library
Website: www.offaly.ie/
The library holds runs of the regional press and some local journals that contain articles of military interest.
R
Roscommon County Library HQ
Abbey Street,
Roscommon.
Tel: 0903 25474
E-mail Roscommon County Library
Website: ireland.iol.ie/~roslib
S
Sligo County Library HQ
Westward Town Centre,
Bridge Street,
Sligo.
Tel: 071 47190/55060
EMail: Sligo County Library HQ
The library holds a number of statements of local veterans of the War of Independence and Civil War as well as Sinn Féin minute books from the same period. There are also microfilmed miscellaneous records of the Sligo Militia, 1856-1877.
South Dublin County Library
Unit 1,
The Square Industrial Complex,
Tallaght,
Dublin 24.
Tel: 01 4597834
E-mail: South Dublin County Library
Website: www.sdcc.ie/communit.htm
Southern Eastern Education & Library Board
Windmill Hill,
Ballynahinch,
Co. Down BT24 8DH.
Tel: 04897 566400
E-mail: Southern Eastern Education & Library Board
Southern Education & Library Board
HQ, 1 Markethill Road,
Armagh BT60 1NR.
Tel: 04837 525353
E-mail: Southern Education & Library Board
T
Tipperary Joint Libraries Committee
County Library,
Castle Avenue,
Thurles,
Co. Tipperary.
Tel: 0504 23442
E-mail: Tipperary Joint Libraries Committee
Website: ireland.iol.ie/~tipplibs/
Among the relevant material are several books on local participation in conflict including the records of the Tipperary Artillery (1793-1889), including a list of officers, a short history of Tipperary Military Barracks and back issues of the Tipperary Historical Journal. There is also a limited number of statements by local veterans of the War of Independence.
W
Waterford County Library HQ
Main Street,
Lismore,
Co. Waterford.
Tel: 058 54128
E-mail: Waterford County Library HQ
The library holds a database of dead of the First World War. It also holds a list of the Co. Waterford dead of World War One.
Waterford Municipal Library HQ
Lady Lane,
Waterford.
Tel: 051 309975
E-mail: Waterford Municipal Library HQ
Westmeath County Library HQ
Dublin Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Tel: 044 40781
E-mail iflynn@westmeathcoco.ie
The library holds the Howard Bury collection that includes prisoner of war diaries belonging to Colonel Howard Bury.
Western Education & Library Board
Library HQ,
1 Spillars Place,
Omagh,
Co. Tyrone BT78 1HL.
Tel: 04882 244821
E-mail librarian@omalib.demon.co.uk
Wexford County Library
Library Management Services,
C/O Kents Building,
Ardcavan,
Wexford.
Tel: 053 24922/24928
E-mail: Wexford County Library
Website: www.wexford.ie/library.htm
The library holds an extensive collection relating to the 1798 Rebellion.
Wicklow County Library HQ
UDC Offices,
Boghall Road,
Bray,
Co. Wicklow.
Tel: 01 2866566
E-mail: Wicklow County Library HQ