Established by the Dublin Science and Art Museum Act, 1877, the NLI was originally housed at the Royal Dublin Society's premises in Leinster House until the present building at 7/8 Kildare Street was formally opened on 1890.

Discover the history of our beautiful Victorian building on Kildare Street and meet the NLI's Director Dr Audrey Whitty. The guided tour will also visit the magnificent Reading Room and explore our links with some of Ireland’s greatest writers and thinkers.

6–7pm | Entry free but booking required.

Meet in the Front Hall of National Library of Ireland, 7/8 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. For more information regarding accessibility in our buildings please see here.

This book club is for everyone, you don't need to be a poetry expert!

There will be an opportunity to read our favourite poems from this collection, chat about themes and inspirations and ask questions about anything we didn't understand.

Enjoy a fascinating journey exploring the highlights of Heaney's archive, from his rural origins through to his remarkable career as a poet

The exhibition draws on items from the National Library of Ireland’s Yeats Collection, the largest collections of books, manuscripts and personal items relating to WB Yeats in the world.

Explore Yeats’ many interests – Ireland, literature, folklore, theatre, politics, mysticism and the occult. Exhibition highlights include manuscripts of many of Yeats’ most beloved poems including “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” and “Easter, 1916”, his Nobel Prize medal, personal artefacts from Yeats’ school reports to a cherished carved piece of lapis lazuli, remarkable photographs of Yeats and his family and friends, and much more.

Exhibition opening hours

Monday, Thursday & Friday: 9.30am - 5pm (last admission 4.30pm) Tuesday - Wednesday: 9.30am - 7pm (last admission 6.30pm) Saturday - Sunday: 9.30am - 5pm (last admission 4.30pm) Public Holiday Mondays: 12pm - 5pm (last admission 4.30pm)