Royal College of Science for Ireland Collection
- Catholic University of Ireland Collection
- Curran-Laird Book Collection
- Eamon de Valera Collection
- Franciscan Collection
- Keith Freeman Collection
- John Richard Green Collection
- Joseph Hassett Collection
- Thomas Johnson Collection
- Thomas Kinsella Collection
- John McCormack Collection
- John Manning Collection
- Maps in Special Collections
- David Nolan Collection
- Dennis O'Driscoll Collection
- Colm Ó Lochlainn Books
- Francis J. O’Kelley Collection
- Charles Hubert Oldham Collection
- Christopher Palles Collection
- Poetry Ireland/Austin Clarke Collection
- Canon Patrick Power Collection
- Pádraig Puirséal Collection
- Dr. John Satchell Rake Yeats Collection
- Royal College of Science for Ireland Collection
- Royal University of Ireland Collection
- Clement King Shorter Collection
- John Lincoln Sweeney Collection
- Heinrich Zimmer Collection
- Named Collections
- A Gallery of Print Images
UCD Special Collections holds the library of the Royal College of Science for Ireland Library, which includes the library of the Museum of Irish Industry.
The Collection
- The library of the Royal College of Science for Ireland (RCScI) is one of the most comprehensive Victorian science libraries in the UK and Ireland.
- It contains rare scientific monographs from the 17th to the 19th centuries and earlier, and complete runs of periodicals which are not to be found in any other Irish library.
- UCD can trace many of its chairs in the sciences back to this institution, which had an enormous impact on the democratisation of science education in Ireland.
- The library of the RCScI forms part UCD’s documentary heritage.
- Examination of the RCScI material demonstrates the breath of subjects taught in that institution.
- Many items within the collection contain very beautiful plates of illustrations.
Collection Highlights
- The Anatomy of Plants by Nehemiah Grew, published in 1682.
- Zoologia medicinalis Hibernica by John K’Eogh printed in Dublin in 1739.
- Essays towards a natural History of the County of Dublin by John Rutty printed in Dublin in 1772.
- Journals of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Calcutta.
- Full set of the Reports of the Department of Science and Art.
- 1860 edition of Darwin’s On the origin of Species.
- 47 volumes of the Report of the Scientific Results of the Exploring Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger 1873-16, most of which are related to zoology, but botany; physics and chemistry are also covered.
- Les Arts au Moyen Age by Alexander Du Sommerard, which cost £57 in 1854, includes an atlas of 107 plates and an album with 402 plates.
- Catalogues of the various industrial exhibitions
- Important scientific journals from the Victorian era and beyond, which are not available elsewhere in Ireland or online:
- Magazine of Natural History 1855-1906
- British Association Report, 1850-1922
- Journal of the Geological Society of London, 1845-1914
- Journal of the Linnean Society, 1857-1907
- Annuaire de l’economie politique, 1844-1899
- Other RCScI periodicals which are available elsewhere but are nonetheless an important asset to UCD:
- Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society, 1851-1913
- American Journal of Science and Art, 1853-1920
Access and Use
- The material in this collection is available by appointment to students, teaching staff, and independent researchers. We also welcome interested members of the public.
- Please contact us at (opens in a new window)special.collections@ucd.ie for further information. To book an appointment (opens in a new window)click here.
More Information
Find material in the collection:
- Use (opens in a new window)The Library Catalogue to key in Royal College of Science
- When you get a results screen select Special Collections from Location option in the left panel