UCD Archives

03/09/2026

Our Document of the Month is now online. Marion O’Malley writes to Richard Mulcahy in 1923 referring to her three sons, all of whom are imprisoned and on hunger strike warning Mulcahy that should any of her sons die, she will “take steps to have you indicted in their murder”.

https://www.ucd.ie/%20/collections/month/

26/08/2026

Notice: Reading Room Closure

From Friday 23 October, the UCD Archives and UCD Special Collections Reading Room will close to facilitate building work on the new Cultural Heritage Centre on Level 1 of the James Joyce Library.

Our new purpose-built shared reading room with enhanced facilities will open from 18 January 2027. Appointments will be processed from 15 December 2026.

Visit the Library Capital Development Project webpage for more information:
https://www.ucd.ie/library/contact/projects/ldproject/

Thank you for your understanding.

Queries: [email protected]

18/08/2026

A wonderful opportunity for photographers and lens-based artists!

OPEN CALL: Photography Commission with UCD Library and the National Folklore Collection.

UCD Library invites applications from photographers and lens-based artists for a major new photographic commission marking a significant moment in the history of the National Folklore Collection (NFC) and the development of UCD Library’s new Cultural Heritage Centre.
The successful artist will create a new body of photographic work exploring the NFC as it moves from its long-standing home in the Newman Building to its new facilities within the James Joyce Library.

Download the Artist Briefing Document at https://www.ucd.ie/irishfolklore/en/about/newsevents/2026/opencall/

Queries and submissions: email [email protected]

Info Session: 26 August 2026
Site Visits: 31 August and 1 September 2026
Application Deadline: 16 September 2026 (12 noon)

📸Dragana Jurišić

University College Dublin UCD Archives UCD Alumni

06/08/2026

The latest Cultural Heritage blog post by UCD Archives, Principal Archivist, Kate Manning is now available to read on the UCD Library Cultural Heritage Collections blog (link in bio).

"A father's and mother's anxiety for their dear one's safety" : a journey home in time of war, examines a series of letters that form part of the Murphy Family Papers (UCDA P141).

Read the post at the link in our bio or ucdculturalheritagecollections.com

22/07/2026

22/05/2026

Master’s student Sydney Patterson brought history to life and facilitated learning for secondary students studying the Downing Street Declaration via a workbook she created using Pembroke College Oxford’s Quill Project, an online platform for researchers, students, teachers and those analysing the records of negotiated texts.

Sources for the workbook content were taken from the Downing Street Declaration material in the Dermot Nally Collection, which is housed in UCD Archives. Sydney explains the process and the use of Quill Project tools to create this digital learning resource in the latest UCD Library Cultural Heritage Collections blog post. Read the blog post at https://ucdculturalheritagecollections.com/2026/05/21/from-archive-to-classroom-creating-a-workbook-on-the-downing-street-declaration/

UCD College of Social Sciences and Law UCD Archives

16/05/2026

Kate, our Principal Archivist, will speak about the Fianna Fáil Party archives this afternoon to mark the centenary of its foundation 1926. UCDA has curated the archive since 2000. Over 300 researchers have consulted it since then to write books, articles, theses, documentaries and more...

14/05/2026

We have put together a display of items from the archives of the Fianna Fáil Party, to mark the centenary of the foundation of the Party on 16 May 1926. UCDA has curated the archive since 2000 and over 300 researchers (from Ireland, the UK, the USA and elsewhere) have accessed the collection to carry out research to prepare exhibitions, master’s and doctoral studies, and the publication of articles and monographs.

Very many thanks to Lorraine McLoughlin and her team in Special Collections for their assistance and to Kate Manning (Principal Archivist) and Sky Tsuda Pillsbury (project archivist) for preparing and mounting the display.

07/05/2026

On the 14th of May from 6-8pm, UCD Library will host journalist Ronan McGreevy whose recent publication, ‘Seán Lemass: The Lost Memoir’, was based on interviews conducted by businessman and hotelier Dermot A. Ryan between 1967–1969.

In 2017 Ryan’s interview tapes were deposited in UCD Archives. A selection of archival items relating to Seán Lemass will be on display at this event. Guests will also have an opportunity to view a display of material from UCD Archives to mark the centenary of the foundation of the Fianna Fáil Party.

Event Speakers:

Professor Orla Feely (UCD President)

Ronan McGreevy (Journalist)

Kate Manning (Principal Archivist, UCD Archives)

Wine reception to follow.

This is a free ticketed event. All Welcome! Please get your tickets at Eventbrite (see the link in our bio).

University College Dublin UCD Alumni UCD Societies UCD College of Social Sciences and Law historyhub.ie