Charles O’Conor letters and papers

A collection of letters from Charles O’Conor, MRIA (1710–1791), one of the leading scholars and Irish manuscript collectors of eighteenth-century Ireland.

Red leather book spines with gold tooled titles on a library shelf, indicating chronological collection of material relating to the Caldwell family.

Caldwell Collection

The Caldwell collection is a wide-ranging archive connected to key members of the family and relating to Ireland, Britain and beyond. A treasure trove for researchers.

Detail of portrait of an 18th century gentlemen wearing a white wig in side profile.

Charlemont Manuscript Collection

A major collection of 18th century political and travel writings and correspondence, the Charlemont papers are an important resource for scholars.

W T Cosgrave speaking from a balcony and gesturing to the air with one hand.

W.T. Cosgrave Papers

Papers of W.T. Cosgrave (1880-1965), revolutionary and politician.

Two audio disc records placed on a table.

Doegen recordings

Recordings of Irish dialects from Connacht, Munster and Ulster, made between 1928 and 1931

Cover of St Stephen's Green national school roll book.

Dublin Unitarian Church Collection

The Dublin Unitarian Church Collection is a major resource for the history of these non-conformist congregations in Dublin 17th – 20th centuries.

Sketch of a pyramid geometrical shape, with various formulae and comments.

Felix Hackett

Papers of Felix Hackett, MRIA. Felix Edward Hackett (1882-1970) was a renowned Irish physicist.

Oil portrait of a man with white hair in a black cap and gown.

Graves Collection

Graves Collection (RIA MS 24 O 39) - the Brehon laws, endowed schools, the 19th-century Ordnance Survey, genealogy and antiquarian research all feature in this composite collection relating to three key 19th century scholars.

Guild of St Anne

The archives of the medieval Guild of St Anne is an important source for the history of the medieval city and county of Dublin.

Detail close up of a page of hand writing with the title na sean-scéaltaí

Heron Papers

Collection of papers relating to the Irish language and folklore of the Draperstown/Ballinascreen area, Co. Derry, compiled by Rev. Patrick J Heron.

Irish manuscript detail showing a capital r decorated with red, yellow and purple pigments.

Manuscripts in the Irish language

Manuscripts in the Irish language - the Academy Library is the centre for research Irish language from earliest period to the present day.

Man on a field trip with his hands placed on large clay bank.

Knud Jessen Papers

Field notebooks of Knud Jessen, the renowned Danish botanist who carried out groundbreaking work on Irish bogs in the 20th century.

Woman in a cap and coat turning back towards the camera as she walks down a city street.

Eleanor Knott Collection

The papers of Eleanor Knott MRIA, distinguished Irish scholar.

Envelope with letterhead of Conradh na Gaeilge and addressed to J. H. Lloyd in both Irish and English.

Lloyd Correspondence

The Lloyd Correspondence is a collection connected with Joseph Lloyd, an early member of Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic League).

Two men holding a measuring line, standing in a precarious position on rocks at the base of a sheer cliff with a body of water at the bottom.

Lough Hyne Collection

The Lough Hyne Collection (RIA MSS/LH/1-12) - an important research collection relating to the unique marine environment of Lough Hyne, Co. Cork.

Oil head and shoulders portrait of a man with short grey hair and a grey moustache in a black suit.

Macalister Collection

Irish manuscripts and books donated by Robert Macalister, MRIA (1870–1950).

Seven men in 19th century military uniforms, two of them are mounted on a horse.

Marquess MacSwiney Papers

The Marquess MacSwiney Papers are a large archive of material relating to the Irish who served in the continental armies, 17th – 19th centuries.

Sepia photo of a bat perched on a log.

Moffat Papers

Wide-ranging natural history papers including field notebooks, diaries and correspondence, the collection of Charles Bethune Moffat provide a context for his many publications.

Manuscript sheet music.

Music Collections

The RIA collection contains a small selection of notable sources for music and musical history, the Forde – Pigot collection of Irish airs being the most significant of these resources.

Archival box with several bundles of flash cards tied with white cotton.

Nally Papers

The Nally collection is a resource for those interested in Irish and Hiberno-Norse dialectology.

Black white photo portrait of a man in a suit with glasses.

Kevin B. Nowlan Papers

Papers of Kevin B. Nowlan, MRIA, (1921-2013), Professor of History at University College Dublin and champion of architectural preservation.

Grey archival boxes on a library shelf labelled as Ordnance Survey Letters with the relevant county.

Ordnance Survey of Ireland Archive

The Academy's Ordnance Survey Archive reflects the depth and breadth of this extraordinary survey of pre-famine Ireland.

R.A. Phillips papers

The R.A. Phillips collection consists of correspondence, photographs and some specimens relating to the fauna and flora of Ireland, late 19th – early 20th century.

Detail of a manuscript letter with text blurred except the phrase Nicholas Purcell of Loughmoe.

Purcell Papers

A collection of estate papers relating to the Purcell family, Loughmoe, Co. Tipperary.

Bound volumes of meeting minutes on a shelf. The spines include the year.

Royal Irish Academy Muniments

The Royal Irish Academy Muniments provide insights on its workings, projects, publications and collecting history.

Vellum indenture manuscript document with with five red wax seals and signatures at the bottom.

Tew Family Papers

A collection (RIA MS 12 S 37a) of deeds and indentures relating to the Tew Family, Ireland.

Postcard addressed to Henry Upton MRIA, Moate, Westmeath.

Upton Papers

The Upton Papers are an important resource for genealogy and family history, particularly families connected with the Irish midlands.

Cardboard box containing sparrow egg specimens.

Ussher Bird Notes

R.J. Ussher's (1841-1913) collection of notes and correspondence relating to the birds of Ireland, cave exploration and antiquities.

Open diary with a red leather flap covering the page partially on the right hand side.

Wilmot-Dashkova Collection

For a bird’s eye view of life at court and on a Russian country estate, and for records of society in France, Italy and Russia in the early 19th century, the Wilmot-Dashkova papers are a mine of information.

Detail of a page of notes on ogham script with examples.

Windele Collection

The Windele papers are a mine of information for archaeologists, historians, antiquarian scholars, Irish language and music research and for information on 19th century antiquarian networks.