Marsh's Library
Dublin, Ireland
The oldest public library in Ireland, founded in 1707 by Archbishop Narcissus Marsh right next to St. Patrick's Cathedral. The interior has retained its original Queen Anne era layout with tall dark oak bookshelves and carved coats of arms. In the corridors stand wire reading cages where readers were locked in to prevent volumes from being removed. The collection holds 25,000 rare prints from the 16th–18th centuries, including books belonging to Jonathan Swift.
- Visit time: 1 h
What to look for
- Three wooden reading cages from 1710 with metal grates
- Oak library shelves with old prints and original call numbers
- Bullet holes from the Easter Rising in old books
Before you go
- Best time: Early afternoon from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
- Crowds: Very small, a quiet place off the beaten path
- Note: No touching of historic volumes without permission
Good to know
- A young Bram Stoker spent many hours here, reading tales of travels in Eastern Europe before writing Dracula.
Sources: marshlibrary.ie, en.wikipedia.org
How long does it take to visit Marsh's Library?
Plan about 1 h.
Nearby
- St Patrick's Cathedral — 60 m
- Whitefriar Street Church — 280 m
- Spitalfields — 370 m
- Chester Beatty — 390 m
- Uno Mas — 400 m
- Christ Church Cathedral — 430 m
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