BOOK OF THE DAY: SIOBHAN FITZPATRICKreviews The National Library of Ireland; Edited by Matthew Taylor London, Scala, 96pp, €15
This is a book of visual delights. From the word go we are entranced by the beautiful cover which brings together a view of the reading room in Kildare Street, an illustration for children's author-illustrator PJ Lynch's East O' the Sun, West O' the Moon, and a page from a 15th century work on the virginity of Mary – all three images, hued with azure and turquoise tones, are pleasing to the eye and subtly unite otherwise diverse items.
In 96 pages we are presented with more than 100 images which serve to highlight aspects of the National Library’s extensive and rich collections whilst simultaneously relating them to episodes in Irish history.
National libraries are by definition repositories on a major scale. The National Library of Ireland is no exception – as stated in the director’s foreword, the National Library is the Irish State’s official library of record, documenting all matters Irish.
Established in 1877, the collections which formed the basis of the new library came from the Royal Dublin Society, then its neighbour and a sister institution. Thus in one fell swoop the library acquired more than 70,000 items, including manuscripts, maps, topographical prints, music, pamphlets and rare books. Since 1927, the library has been a legal deposit library for the State.
The volume is organised in six sections, each prefaced by an introductory page of text. The focus is on images drawn from across the collections rather than concentrating on collections per se. This is a good way to introduce the visitor or the new reader to a variety of materials and to encourage researchers to look beyond the obvious. Each illustration carries a clear, informative caption with provenance for the item.
The prints and drawings and photographic departments can provide portraits of many historical and artistic figures – Parnell, Napoleon, O’Casey, Michael Collins and Beckett (captured in all the isolation of the existentialist), are reproduced here.
I loved Grace Gifford’s fish-like cartoon of musician Arthur Darley. There are images aplenty of hard times: scenes from the Congested Districts Board Collection; a view of an Irish Church Mission meeting in Ballinaboy School in Famine times; the Coolgreany evictions, 1887. One of the most enduring images is Harry Kernoff’s woodblock print entitled Unemployed: a universal fact.
There are many views of buildings, maps and images of a country at war (see the wonderful drawing of Dungannon Castle, 1601, by the ill-fated Richard Bartlett; Holmes' image of The Memorable Battle of Arklow, 1798; Gillray's The End of the Irish Invasion, 1797and Schoonebeek's Battle of the Boyne).
And who can resist the political posters reproduced here. The Cumann na nGaedheal campaign of 1932 invites us to Devvy’s Circus, “absolutely the greatest road show in Ireland today”, featuring Senor De Valera, World-famous illusionist . . .” and “Monsieur Lemass, famous tight-rope performer” and much more. Plus ça change?
I wonder what became of the smiling boy from the Loughrea camp-site, 1954? (inside front cover).
The quality of the reproductions, is equal to that which we have come to expect from Scala Publications, who produce illustration-rich guides to libraries and museums throughout the world, at affordable prices. Every school should have a copy.
This book would make an ideal gift for visitors to Ireland, for your American cousins, for cultural tourists, or as Christmas presents for family and friends.
Siobhán Fitzpatrick is librarian to the Royal Irish Academy and president of the Library Association of Ireland.