Current events

Exhibitions | Catalogues | Publications | Conferences | Tercentenary events | Donations

The exhibition was opened in the library by Dr Martin Mansergh, T.D., Minister of State, on Tuesday the 30^th of June 2009, and will continue until Spring 2010.

This exhibition contains books on the animal kingdom from the collection in Marsh's. The title comes from the nonsense poem about odd creatures in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. The books have splendid woodcuts and engravings,

There are books by famous 16^th and 17^th-century writers on natural history, covering exotic birds, butterflies and bees, elephants, horses, cats and tigers, reptiles and sea monsters.

The exhibition includes many volumes by the Italian writer Ulisse Aldrovandi, whose magnificent work on natural history is regarded as the greatest zoological compendium of the early 17^th century.

The bird of paradise is shown in the massive encyclopaedia by the 16^th-century Swiss writer Conrad Gesner. Other well known early writers on natural history on display in this exhibition are Thomas Moffett, the Comte de Buffon and Gulielmus Rondelet. Rondelet’s ‘Monkfish’ and ‘Bishopfish’ are both illustrated wearing their full clerical attire! Oliver Goldsmith’s Animated nature is represented in the first Irish edition, published in Dublin in 1777.

The Exhibition is open to the public during normal opening hours.

Exhibition Catalogues

Marsh's Library regularly mounts exhibitions of books on selected topics. Information about some previous Library exhibitions is still available on this website:

• The Sceptred Isle (2008)
• Land of Silk and Sages (2007)
• The New World (2006)
• What is the Stars? (2004,2005)
• The Fountain of Genius (2003)
• From Major to Minor (2002)
• This Golden Fleece (2001)
• Leaves from the Past (2000)

The catalogues of these exhibitions include descriptions and background material on the items exhibited. All the catalogues of past and present exhibitions are listed below, and a few of them are still available. Please contact the Library if you wish to purchase any of them.

Catalogue	Status
Beware the Jabberwock!: books on the animal kingdom in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy, Ann Simmons and Sue Hemmens, 2009.	Available
The Sceptred Isle: books on England in Marsh's Library. compiled by Muriel McCarthy, Ann Simmons and Sue Hemmens,2008.	Available
Land of Silk and Sages: books on China in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy, Ann Simmons and Sue Hemmens, 2007.	Available
The New World: books of exploration and discovery in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy, Ann Simmons and Sue Hemmens, 2006.	Available
What is the Stars?: Astronomy and astrology in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy, Ann Simmons and Sue Hemmens, 2004.	Out of print
The Fountain of Genius: an exhibition of poems, plays and prose in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy, Caroline Sherwood-Smith and Sue Hemmens, 2003.	Available
From Major to Minor: an exhibition of the largest and smallest books in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 2002.	Available
This Golden Fleece: Marsh's Library 1701 - 2001 A tercentenary exhibition. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 2001.	Available
Leaves from the Past: Marsh's Botanical Books Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 2000.	Out of print
The Wisdom of the East: Marsh's Oriental Books Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 1999.	Out of print
The Majestic World An exhibition of early printed maps and atlases in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 1998	Out of print
Eve Revived An exhibition of early printed books relating to women in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 1997	Out of print
Echoes of Splendour An exhibition of music manuscripts and early printed music books in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 1996	Out of print
The Triumph of Antiquity An exhibition of rare books relating to classical antiquity in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 1995	Out of print
Hibernia Resurgens Marsh's Irish Books. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 1994	Out of print
'Mighty Monsters in Marsh's' An exhibition of early natural history books in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 1993	Out of print
'The Enchanted Herbs' An exhibition of rare botanical, gardening and herbal books in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, 1992	Out of print
'And Then There Were Twelve' An exhibition of European books and manuscripts in Marsh's Library. Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Ruth Whelan, 1991	Out of print
Ancient Bestsellers Compiled by Muriel McCarthy and Ruth Whelan, 1989	Out of print
Galen Remembered An exhibition of early medical books Compiled by Muriel McCarthy, 1986	Out of print
An Exhibition of Travel Books and the Age of Discovery Compiled by Muriel McCarthy, 1983	Out of print
An Exhibition of Early European Printings 1472 - 1700 Compiled by Muriel McCarthy, 1977	Out of print

Conferences

From time to time the library holds conferences on topics related to its collections. The most recent was A Mirror on the World, held in October 2007.

Tercentenary events and publications

2001 was the 300th anniversary of the building of Marsh's Library. Various events and publications marked the occasion, and details of these are available.

Donations

Marsh's Library is a registered charity and is grateful for donations to help fund particular projects. If you are interested in making a gift to the Library please contact:

Dr. Muriel McCarthy, Keeper
Marsh's Library, St Patrick's Close, Dublin 8.
Telephone/fax: (01)454-3511 or from outside Ireland +353-1-454-3511
Email: keeper@marshlibrary.ie