Marsh's Library

Archbishop Narcissus Marsh had this built beside St Patrick's Cathedral and it opened in 1707 as the first public library in Ireland. What makes it worth the detour is that almost nothing has changed since: dark oak bookcases with carved and lettered gables, the original shelf arrangement, and three wired alcoves at the far end where readers were once shut in with the rarest books while they consulted them. The collection is largely what it was in the eighteenth century, weighted to theology, medicine, law, travel and the classics, and it is still a working research library rather than a reconstruction of one. An hour is enough, and you will usually have the room to yourself.

History

The library was built for Narcissus Marsh, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and former Provost of Trinity College, on land of St. Sepulchre's Palace set aside in 1701, to a design by the Surveyor General, Sir William Robinson; Thomas Burgh designed an extension and porch in 1710, and when it opened in 1707 it was the first public library in Ireland (Wikipedia, Marsh's Library).

What's there

• The wired alcoves - the cages where readers were locked in with valuable books.
• The oak bookcases - the original fittings, with their carved and lettered gables.
• The second gallery - the inner reading room, largely unaltered.
• The working collection - early printed books still catalogued and consulted.

When to go

Year-round; it is small, indoor and quiet in any weather. Opening hours are short and it is closed on some weekdays, which is the most common way to miss it, so confirm before walking over. Mornings are best if you want the rooms empty. Combine it with St Patrick's Cathedral next door in one walk.

What to expect

It is one room and a small gallery, so an hour is generous and the entry charge feels steep for the size. Interpretation runs to a few panels. The books are shelved rather than displayed, so if old bindings and a wooden interior do not interest you there is very little else to hold your attention.

Nearby

St Patrick's Cathedral is next door; the Liberties and Christ Church are a short walk.

Key facts