Scientific subjects are well represented among the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century library holdings of the Royal Irish Academy. The varied subject matter includes astronomy, chemistry, geology, mathematics, natural history (botany, mineralogy, zoology, etc) and natural philosophy (physics). Titles in German and French predominate, but there are also books in Danish, Dutch and Italian as well as English and Latin. Many of the books are illustrated.

Richard Kirwan

Among the prominent founder members of the Academy in 1785 was the Galway-born scientist Richard Kirwan 1733-1812 who had special interests in chemistry, geology and meteorology. His best- known works were his Elements of mineralogy (London, 1784), An essay on the analysis of mineral waters(London, 1799), and An essay on phlogiston and the constitution of acids (London, 1787). Kirwan bequeathed his collection of books to the Academy on his death in 1812 (RIA MS 3 A 6 is a manuscript list of that bequest). Books on chemistry predominate. Some years earlier, he had shipped a collection of his books from Galway to London, but a privateer captured the ship and sold its cargo. Following this mishap, some of Kirwan’s books were eventually acquired by the Salem Athenaeum, Massachusetts. Kirwan, who was president of the Royal Irish Academy 1799-1812, published numerous scientific articles in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy as well as in other learned journals.

Other Collections

Other important scientific collections include:

  • The monograph and offprint collections amassed by renowned entomologist Alexander H Haliday (1806-1870), MRIA.
  • The entomological collections of Cynthia Longfield (1896-1991).

History of Science

The Academy continued to acquire scientific publications throughout the nineteenth century, principally by bequest, donation and exchange. These are now of value to historians of science as well as being important for the history of books and printing. The Academy also collects new publications on the history of science in Ireland.

Periodicals received on exchange

Exchange agreements were established in the past with academies and learned societies in other countries, and many scientific publications were acquired in this way. The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, the early publications of the Institut de France and of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg, are among the valuable periodical holdings in the Library.

Further Reading

D.Thorburn Burns, ‘Richard Kirwan’s library: an eighteenth-century chemists’ collection’ in Treasures of the Royal Irish Academy Library edited by Bernadette Cunningham and Siobhán Fitzpatrick (Dublin, 2009), pp. 92-103.

Gordon L. Herries Davies, ‘Astronomy, geology, meteorology’, in The Royal Irish Academy: a bicentennial history, 1785-1985 edited by T Ó Raifeartaigh (Dublin, 1985), pp. 247-273.

‘On some botanical books in the library of the Royal Irish Academy’ by George Huxley (1992).

‘On some entomological books in the library of the Royal Irish Academy’ by George Huxley (1992).

‘Some astronomical books in the library of the Royal Irish Academy’ by George Huxley (1991).

‘Some geological books in the library of the Royal Irish Academy’ by George Huxley (1991).

T.E. Nevin, ‘Experimental physics’, in The Royal Irish Academy: a bicentennial history, 1785-1985 edited by T Ó Raifeartaigh (Dublin, 1985), pp. 240-246.

James P. O’Connor, ‘Natural history collections’, in Treasures of the Royal Irish Academy Library edited by Bernadette Cunningham and Siobhán Fitzpatrick (Dublin, 2009), pp. 104-117.

Colm Ó hEocha, ‘Biology’, in The Royal Irish Academy: a bicentennial history, 1785-1985 edited by T Ó Raifeartaigh (Dublin, 1985), pp. 301-312.

Eva M. Philbin, ‘Chemistry’, in The Royal Irish Academy: a bicentennial history, 1785-1985 edited by T Ó Raifeartaigh (Dublin, 1985), pp. 275-300.

T.D. Spearman, ‘Mathematics and theoretical physics’ in The Royal Irish Academy: a bicentennial history, 1785-1985 edited by T Ó Raifeartaigh (Dublin, 1985), pp. 201-239.