Oral History Project

We have been learning about Oral History in class and reading Kevin C. Kearn’s wonderful Oral History studies of Stoneybatter and of Tenement Life in Dublin. We have also carried out our own Oral History Interview. On Wednesday Patricia Davies came to speak to the class about her time working as a book binder and a paper feeder. Patricia also told us about what it was like to be a woman working in the Print Industry in the 50s and 60s and returning to work in the 90s after she had raised her family. We would like to thanks Patricia for giving up her time to talk to the class. Our interview will be deposited in the museum library.

Freemason’s Grand Lodge, Molesworth Street

We couldn’t resist posting these pictures from our Wednesday afternoon trip out. This week we visited the Freemason’s Grand Lodge on Molesworth Street. Our guide is pitcured above in the Templars chapel of the lodge. As he guided us through the cermonial rooms he dispelled many of the myths surrounding the Freemasons and did a fantastic job of answering all of our questions. It was a very interesting afternoon and an excellent tour.

Congratulations!

Everyone at the museum would like to say a big congratulations to our former course trainees who are taking up courses at third level institutions  in September. Well done to Chris McDonagh, who will be studying Humanities in Dundalk Institute of Technology, Luke Lyons who will be studying Arts in NUI Maynooth and Terence Mullally who will be undertaking the TAP programme at Trinity College Dublin. Please come back after your first term and tell us all how you are getting on!

Work Experience

As part of our work experience module we undertake work experience. For the next three weeks we are working at a variety of cultural, heritage and educational institutions throughout Dublin: Ricky is undertaking his work experience at St Patrick’s Cathedral; Jackie is at Kilmainham Gaol; Katherine is at Jig; Laura is at Rush Library; Dorina is at the Fingal Archive; Terry is at the Maritime Museum;  Gillian and Caoimhe are at the Natural History Museum (Store) and Georgina is staying at the museum to undertake an archiving project. We are undertaking work experience during Heritage Week  18-26 August so we are looking forward to getting involved and helping out with activities for the week in each of our institutions.

When we return we will share with you some of the activities that we undertook over our work experience.

The Black Abbey in Kilkenny

For our trip to Kilkenny, in teams we researched a different building in the city. We will share some of our research with you on the blog over the next few days.

The Black Abbey in Kilkenny, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity, was founded in 1225 by William Marshall the Younger (Earl of Pembroke- Lord of Leinster). The name derives from the black mantle worn by the Dominican or Blackfriars over their white robes. It was repressed in 1543, converted into a courthouse and served as such until the end of the seventeenth century.  It fell into ruin but was restored by the Dominicans in the eighteenth century & used as a church in the nineteenth century.

It is noted for its stained glass windows especially ‘The Rosary Window’ (see below) created in 1892 which is the largest stained glass window in Ireland.  It’s ancient tower predates the church & the nave and transept were restored.  There is a fifteenth century alabaster statue of the Holy Trinity near the altar and a thirteenth century stone coffins & slabs outside, all found during restoration.  

Class trip to Kilkenny

During our trip to Kilkenny we went to view the exhibition at the Butler Gallery, took a tour of Kilkenny Castle and had a look around St Canice’s Cathedral. We also undertook projects on buildings around the city including the Tholsel, the Black Abbey and Rothe House which we will be posting over the next week.

Gas From a Burner by James Joyce (1912)

When we visited the Distillers press in NCAD back in May Sean Sills told us about a poem that James Joyce wrote in 1912 about a printer who refused to print Dubliners. We were reading the book at the time so have since sought out the poem and read it in class and we thought we would share it with you. We hope you enjoy it, thanks Sean!

Gas From a Burner by James Joyce (1912)

Ladies and gents, you are here assembled

To hear why earth and heaven trembled

Because of the black and sinister arts

Of an Irish writer in foreign parts.

He sent me a book ten years ago. I

read it a hundred times or so,

Backwards and forwards, down and up,

Through both the ends of a telescope.

I printed it all to the very last word

But by the mercy of the Lord

The darkness of my mind was rent

And I saw the writer’s foul intent.

How to make a printer’s hat

We have been very busy for the last fortnight with school tours at the museum. This means that our newer team members Gillian, Caoimhe and Barbara have been perfecting their printer’s hat. Here’s a nice instruction guideline we found online.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

We are now in the second term of our course and have completed six of our nine modules including Work Experience, Local History, Communications, Folklore, Archeology and Reception Studies. We have also just finished Dubliners so our reading group is moving on to Dr Jekll and Mr Hyde the novella by Robert Louis Stevenson which was first published in 1886.

Local History Week

This week we are carrying out research for our local history projects. We are visiting the National Archive and Dublin City Library and Archive as well as undertaking research in our own local library, the Pembroke Library. Aside from hitting the books we have also been looking at history blogs and good history sites for our research. Here are some of our favourites.

1. Come Here to Me: A brilliant blog on all things Dublin- this looks at everything from Dublin’s history to graffiti. We were
lucky enough to have Donal Fallon come and talk to us before we set our blog up.

2. Cork Heritage: With a list of Heritage Events in Cork city throughout 2012 this is a great site for those living in the city or just visiting Cork. There are some great historical walking tours suggested and Kieran also has articles on Cork History.

3. Dublin City Public Library Blog:  This is a great scholarly blog based at the heart of Dublin cities libraries. They also have some great posts on books including this one on bookbinding here and this one on shopping for books in Dublin in 1782 here.

4. South Dublin Libraries:  This is great for Local history blog that looks at the history, folklore and trivia of south Dublin.

5. South Dublin History:  This is an amazing website that looks at Clondalkin, Lucan, Newcastle, Palmerston, Rathcoole, Rathfarnham, Saggart, Tallaght, Templeogue. It includes modern and historic maps for each area, bibliographies, a history of each area, a chronology, list of famous people who lived in the area and
other resources. Very useful! This is one of the best sites on the local history of Dublin and has won some awards.