Beautiful library of the early Enlightenment in central Dublin. Opened in 1707; still welcoming visitors, tourists and scholars. Registered Charity RCN 20000752https://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mvt36m72jc2jOur busiest ever @culturenightdub.bsky.social saw people queuing around the corner on to Kevin Street and a total of 813 visitors18 Sep 2026 21:07 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvt36m72jc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mvsavmc4i22pIn our latest blogpost, recent Maddock Fellow Dr Stewart Duncan discusses anti-Spinoza literature in the Edward Stillingfleet collection. https://marshlibrary.ie/stillingfleet-and-the-modern-philosophers/18 Sep 2026 13:16 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvsavmc4i22phttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mvphdbtvbk2tJoin us this Friday, 18 September, for a free guided tour of Ireland's oldest public library. Tours run every 15 minutes from 5:30-8:45pm. No booking required. https://culturenight.ie/event/culture-night-tours-of-marshs-library/ #CultureNight2026 #CultureNight #CultureNightDublin17 Sep 2026 10:34 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvphdbtvbk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mvmwu77y4k2yWednesdays in the Archive📜 In 1918, Marsh's Library paid £1 17s 6d to repair bullet holes in the doors of the old reading room. Other bullet holes in the books and bookcases were not repaired and can still be seen today. Look out for them when you visit the library!16 Sep 2026 10:33 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvmwu77y4k2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mvk7evuq4c2uWaste not! The blank space at the back of a 13th century Bible provided a perfect place for someone to practice their letters. The text to the left is a transcript of a papal bull granted to Dominican Order in 1227.15 Sep 2026 08:28 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvk7evuq4c2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mvi6bt4olk2cIt is beginning to feel autumnal here in Dublin 🍂 The poet Edmund Spenser captures the mood perfectly in The Shepheard's Calender (1579): And nowe the Westerne wind bloweth sore, That nowe is in his chiefe souereigntee, Beating the withered leafe from the tree.14 Sep 2026 13:03 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvi6bt4olk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mv5oklwt3s24A chart of the seven legendary kings of Rome, beginning with Romulus. From Ortelius's Theatrum orbis terrarum.10 Sep 2026 08:55 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv5oklwt3s24https://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mv3b464s322sDanish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) created this great brass globe to record the precise position of over 1000 stars he observed from his observatory at Uraniborg. Kepler used Brahe's observational data in formulating his laws of planetary motion. From Astronomiae instauratae mechanica, 1602.09 Sep 2026 09:49 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv3b464s322shttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3muzesc2tzc2yA keening women, or funeral mourner, from 'A week at Killarney' printed in London in 1858. In their description of a keener, authors Anna Maria & Samuel Carter Hall say 'her eyes were deep-set greys, peculiar to the country'.08 Sep 2026 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3muzesc2tzc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3muwikx4jvc26A couple of 17th century limp vellum Spanish bindings. The title in large letters on the spine is typically Iberian. They cover Historica relación del Reyno de Chile, 1648 and Descripcion breve del monasterio de S. Lorenzo el Real del Escorial, 1657.07 Sep 2026 12:19 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3muwikx4jvc26https://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3muoz7lvbik2eSea monsters in Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum orbis terrarum. Be careful sailing near Tiguex!04 Sep 2026 12:56 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3muoz7lvbik2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3muok564l6c2jMarsh's Library will be closed to visitors from September 5th-14th as we prepare for our new exhibition. We will reopen on September 15th at 9:30am and look forward to welcoming you back.04 Sep 2026 08:26 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3muok564l6c2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3muk27fb3hs25We were delighted to welcome Mr Paulo Artur dos Santos de Campos Rangel, Portuguese Minister of State & Foreign Affairs (centre), and His Excellency, João Pedro Fins do Lago, Ambassador of Portugal to Ireland (left) to Marsh's Library.02 Sep 2026 13:30 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3muk27fb3hs25https://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mujq56mbys25This week is the last chance to see our exhibition 'Gulliver 300', celebrating the 300th anniversary of the publication of Jonathan Swift's masterpiece. Catch it before it closes on Friday 4th September, and sets off on its travels to the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris!02 Sep 2026 10:30 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mujq56mbys25https://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3muerws3kkc2fThe beautiful watermark on a letter to our librarian in 1943 tells us the paper was made in Swift Brook paper mills, founded in 1785 in Saggart, Co. Dublin. They produced paper for bank notes, stamps, and also the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic, before finally closing in 1972.31 Aug 2026 11:19 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3muerws3kkc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mu4wgnw3rs2aA magnified transection of a thistle stalk by Nehemiah Grew. Grew was one of the first scientists to use a microscope to study the internal structure of plants.28 Aug 2026 08:18 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu4wgnw3rs2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mu34rimqus2yThe very lovely Sandi Toksvig visited our library early in the summer, and we're delighted to see the promo video for her forthcoming shows about Irish literature for Britain's Channel 4 on the 3rd and 10th of September. https://vimeo.com/1210556076?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci #Sandi’sIreland #Corneliastreetproductions #Channel427 Aug 2026 15:06 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu34rimqus2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mu2gj3mi5s2gThe names of Robert and Elizabeth Cotton are inscribed at the front of Commentarius brevis rerum in orbe gestaru (1586). Strangely, they appear to be written in a child's hand.27 Aug 2026 08:28 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu2gj3mi5s2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mtxwy5lm4k2j16th century decorated initials spelling out the name of our founder: Narcissus Marsh26 Aug 2026 08:45 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtxwy5lm4k2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mtvg6tuzek2rA glimpse of a fragment of a medieval music manuscript, recycled in a 16th century binding, it's vellum lending strength as a guard. It's only a few notes, but someone might recognise it?25 Aug 2026 08:39 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtvg6tuzek2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mtldldbf722wPaul Geslin left a lovely detailed inscription on this 1599 Heidelberg Bible. He gives us his motto 'With trembling and joy', and tells us he bought the book in December 1618 for 18 lt (I think!). We're not sure about the bookseller if anyone has any ideas?21 Aug 2026 08:25 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtldldbf722whttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mtisu5wxwk2lSquish! A mosquito caught between the pages of Isaac Barrow's mathematical lectures, printed in 1684 #WorldMosquitoDay20 Aug 2026 08:21 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtisu5wxwk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mtgdqndy4s2uDutch merchant & spy Jan Huygen van Linschoten from II Par Indiae Orientalis (1599). Van Linschoten copied important Portuguese nautical charts while on assignment in Goa, which opened up the East Indies to Dutch traders.19 Aug 2026 08:45 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtgdqndy4s2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mtb7fugg4c2qA trefoil was one of many ways early readers indicated important sections in their books. This one was left in the works of Nicolas Le Fèvre (Paris, 1614). It belonged to the antiquarian Robert Cotton before it arrived to Marsh's 320 years ago in the collection of Edward Stillingfleet #BookHistory17 Aug 2026 07:44 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtb7fugg4c2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mt2jcyepqk2kA tiny map of the world from 1732 showing California as an island. This fake news started in the 16th century & proved persistent in spite of evidence to the contrary. One of 65 maps from our very rare pirated edition of Herman Moll's Atlas minor, printed in Dublin to avoid English copyright law.14 Aug 2026 15:53 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2jcyepqk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3msx7mdrlxs27Personally I'd advise against taking a journey and a laxative together, but I'd be wrong according to the 'Mansions of the moon'! This lunar zodiac can help with any decision from 'when should I cut my hair', to 'is it a good time to marry or take a journey'. From Astrologia restaurata, London, 165313 Aug 2026 08:21 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3msx7mdrlxs27https://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3msuqarz5fc2dHappy solar eclipse day! The solar eclipse of the 8th April 1652 as recorded by the great Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius in his Selenographia #SolarEclipse12 Aug 2026 08:41 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3msuqarz5fc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3mss6immf6k24An early user of this book of Donato's madrigals found the music incomplete and continued it themselves #rarebooks #music11 Aug 2026 08:18 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3mss6immf6k24https://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3msqd4zq5m22dSplattered ink across the pages of Nicholas Faber's works, printed in 1614. Pages 118-9 show similar marks, indicating it happened when the sheet was taken off the press. A reminder of the skill involved in printing in the hand-press period & how easily things could go awry! #Printing #Errors10 Aug 2026 14:36 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3msqd4zq5m22dhttps://bsky.app/profile/marshslibrary.bsky.social/post/3msiw5ndlz22kNo 484 on the left is from the library of Henry VIII, to my eye No 169 looks very similiar - someone more familiar with the royal library might weigh in! 169 is Fox's 'Gravissimae, atque exactissimae illustrissimarum totius Italiae, et Galliae' supporting Henry's annulment from Catherine of Aragon.07 Aug 2026 15:55 +0000at://did:plc:qpbct5zmxv47jw47bxdrgakj/app.bsky.feed.post/3msiw5ndlz22k