Museum of Literature Ireland
The Museum of Literature Ireland (MOLI) has recently opened its doors. Based in UCD’s former residence at the Naughton Joyce centre at the south side of St. Stephen’s Green near W.B. Yeat’s former home. This museum was organised by University College Dublin and the National Library Ireland with the intention of celebrating Ireland’s contribution to literature. The museum is also wheelchair accessible to ensure everyone gets a chance for this experience.
In the first half of our journey through Ireland’s menagerie of writers, the first room we enter is a large ornate room with a scaled model of UCD’s current premises. Within this room we are given a history of UCD, from its establishment to its move to its current location, and we can view paintings by UCD alumni James Hanley as visual responses to James Joyce’s ‘A Portrait of a Young Man’ and ‘Stephen Hero’.
We then encounter a room dedicated to the early 20th century writer Kate O’Brien who we learn had a controversial career for addressing themes of illicit and LGBT matters. Afterwards we encounter what’s called a “Riverrun of Language”, a mesmerising experience of quotes in both Irish and English, emitting from large, suspended speakers, on themes such as love and loss. Underneath the speakers are tables with cards with various quotes written on them. You may rip a card out and keep it as a souvenir.
Partitioned off from the Riverrun is a room dedicated to James Joyce, his life, education and works, which contains a scaled model of Inner Dublin with markers to locations that James visited and mentioned in his works such as Sweny’s Pharmacy. We are also met with a film called ‘Wake the streets’ which features people reciting ‘Finnegan’s Wake’ in the locations that inspired James. With this there are artefacts on display such as a letter Joyce wrote to Yeats.
The second half of our journey takes place in the upper half of the museum. This half gives us a history of events that influenced Irish Writers from great events such as the founding of the Free State and the joining of the League of Nations, to negative influences such as the Civil War and founding of the Committee of Evil Literature. It also displays contemporary letter, photos, caricatures and old, antiquated footage.
The adjoining room is dedicated to modern Irish writers such as Darren Shan and Sarah Maria Griffin. These are coupled with information detailing the numerous ways Paris has inspired our writers, as seen within the “Centre Culturel Irlandais”, the centre of Irish culture in Paris. The room after that displays original drafts and first publications of Joyce’s oeuvres, a table to write a message to attach it to a lofty magnetised wall and the screening of a cinematic reading of “Ulysses”.
We conclude our tour with a quaint gift shop and cafe in the basement and a children’s room at the top floor. If you prefer the outdoors than your free to exit into a tranquil garden located in the back.
I can say with the utmost certainty that if you are even a casual reader than you will enjoy this museum immensely and it will hopefully enchant visitors for years to come to really appreciate the works of literature that Ireland has produced.
The Museum of Literature is open for most of the year, 7 days a week from 10am-6pm, except on certain holidays. Tickets are €8 for adults and €6 for children, students and over 65s.
