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Legacy in the Library

A series of talks celebrating the lives of Irish literary figures

Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Legacy in the library graphic

Legacy in the Library is a new annual series at the National Library of Ireland. It pays tribute to Irish literary figures who have died in the preceding year, focusing on their holdings in the National Library’s collections. Their families are central to these tributes.

Edna O’Brien | 1930 – 2024  

Premiere Film Screening | Legacy in the Library: Celebrating Edna O’Brien 1930-2024 | Sunday 27th of July at 12pm

The National Library of Ireland presents ‘Legacy in the Library’, a short film remembering Irish writer, Edna O’Brien. 

Join us for this in-person film premiere taking place in the Joly Theatre of the National Library of Ireland on Sunday 27th of July at 12pm on the first anniversary of her death. Book here.

 

About Legacy in the Library: Celebrating Edna O’Brien 1930-2024: 

This specially curated film marks Edna O’Brien’s exceptional life, and features a conversation with Edna O’Brien’s sons, Carlo and Sasha Gébler, alongside NLI Director, Dr Audrey Whitty, and Dr Sinéad McCoole, NLI Head of Exhibitions, Learning and Programming. The conversation is underpinned with a NLI commissioned recording of Edna O’Brien* about her papers, unseen photographs, letters, ephemera and literary criticism from the NLI collection, which have recently been made available to scholars. 

Filming of this event took place on February 4th, 2025, in front of a small audience in the National Library’s iconic Prints & Drawings Reading Room.

Trailer | Premiere Film Screening: Legacy in the Library: Celebrating Edna O’Brien 1930-2024

Gerald Dawe | 1952 - 2024 

On February 18th, 2025, the NLI marked the death of Irish poet Gerald Dawe, and examined his life and writings. On the night, Gerald was remembered by his widow Dorothea and his daughter Olwen, with contributions from the Director of the National Library of Ireland, Dr Audrey Whitty, and Dr Sinéad McCoole, Head of Exhibitions, Learning and Programming, as well as Christian Dupont, Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Resources and Burns Librarian, Boston College and Dr Carlo Gébler, the Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing, Trinity College Dublin.

Trailer | Legacy in the Library: Celebrating Gerald Dawe Film Screening

The evening was recorded and made into a film to enable us to capture the evening for those who could not attend in person. This is now available to view here on the National Library of Ireland’s YouTube channel.  

Nell McCafferty | 1944 - 2024 

The final instalment this year of the Legacy in the Library series celebrates the life of Nell McCafferty, the celebrated activist and journalist, with insights from her sister Carmel and her niece and literary executor Muire McCallion.  

This occasion will be held Thursday 21 August 2025, and booking information will be announced shortly.