Renaissance Library Calendar 2008

The Renaissance Library Calendar has been in existence for eight years. Each year the organisers, who are based in Sweden, select full colour photographs of twelve of the most historical and beautiful libraries in the world. We were delighted when we were informed that Armagh Public Library had been nominated for inclusion in the 2008 edition. We do not know who made the nomination as this remains secret, however we are very grateful for the honour and proud that the Library features with eleven other important libraries throughout the world.

St Patrick's Pilot Scheme

Working in collaboration with St Patrick's Cathedral Armagh and the Armagh County Museum, the Library hosted three visits for schools. This was based on the legacy of St Patrick. We were all delighted that the following schools were willing to work with us on this pilot scheme: the Royal School, Armagh; St Catherine's College, Armagh and Dungannon Integrated College. We have sought the feedback of students and teachers so that we may present a fuller programme in the future. The photograph of Armagh Public Library was produced to a high standard by Dr Miruna Popescu from the Armagh Observatory and is included with images of libraries in Austria, America, Australia, Canada and Poland, as well as those of the King James Library of the University of St Andrews and York Minster Library. To view the Renaissance Library Calendar, please visit www.renaissancelibrary.com

St Patricks Day Celebrations

As part of the celebrations for St Patricks Day, the Library was open to the public on Saturday 15 March. Normally the Library is not open on a Saturday, but in order to add to the experience of visiting the Hill of Armagh on Saturday when the special day was celebrated in advance of Holy Week, the Library welcomed visitors.

Morning on the Hill

The Library and the Church of Ireland Cathedral invited local schools to take part in a three-fold visit to the ancient hill of Armagh. During the visit, schools heard about the history of the Cathedral and had time to view the crypt and Chapter Room. They also learned about the importance of music on the Hill since the Cathedral can lay claim to the oldest choral tradition in Ireland. To this day, music plays an important role in the life of the Cathedral, so the schools heard the organ being played and were encouraged to sing.

The third part of the visit was to the Library and its collections, and part of the tour showed how to locate and handle old manuscripts, books and maps.

All of this was offered free of charge during the summer school term, and the organisers were delighted to welcome Mullaglass Primary School as the first school to take up the invitation for 2008.

City Chapter Event

A reading of the book - Eleven Houses - was given by the author, Christopher Fitz-simon, on Thursday 15 May in the Library. This was a City Chapter event, which was organised thanks to funding from the Armagh City and District Council. The City Chapter is the partnership of libraries in Armagh.

Christopher Fitz-simon is the former Artistic Director of the Abbey Theatre and author of many broacast plays. Born in Belfast into an extraodinaly Irish family with nationalists, Orangemen and a Dublin father who was an officer in the British army, his childhood coincided with the Second World War. Eleven Houses is a memoir of his family through those years in a series of homes in all four provinces of Ireland. Drawing on his vivid recall of the places and feelings of those years, Christopher tells a story of growing up that is a story of various hidden Irelands, during the years of the war, an account by turns hilarious and heartbreaking.

European Heritage Open Days

The Library extended its opening hours for European Heritage Open Days this year. The Library and the Registry which is at 5 Vicars Hill, were open throughout Saturday 13 September and on the afternoon of Sunday 14 September. A brochure which highlighted the Armagh buildings which were open as part of the European Heritage Open Days was available. Both days saw many visitors to both Library buildings. Thanks go to our team of volunteer guides who made the participation of the Library and Registry possible.

Poetry Ireland Celebrations

On Thursday 2 October the City Chapter, of which the Library is a member, helped to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Poetry Ireland. Poetry Ireland is a body which promotes poetry throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To mark its 30th anniversary, an invitation was made to have a reading, featuring three poets, in every county in Ireland. The City Chapter has taken up this invitation and featured established poets, two of whom were born or live in County Armagh The City Chapter and the John Hewitt Society have joined with Poetry Ireland to present the Couny Armagh Reading in the Library, with free admission. Reading with visiting poet, Jean Bleakney, was Gerry Burns, who has lived and worked in the district for many years, and Armagh-born poet, Conor Carville, who travelled from England for the event. The City Chapter has other events planned for the autumn which will be held in the other Armagh Libraries.

Play Reading of The Drone

On Saturday 25 October a play reading was presented in the Library. The Company of Ten, introduced by Sandra Perry, read the play - The Drone - by Rutherford Mayne. This is the centenary year since the first production of the play and the Library was pleased to host this event. Thanks are due for financial support from the Thornton Trust.

Robinson Tercentenary Project

The Library took part in the celebrations to mark the tercentenary of the birth of Archbishop Richard Robinson in 2008. The project informed people of the vision which Archbishop Robinson had for Armagh and for its re-birth. The buildings associated with Robinson include the Armagh Observatory, the Royal School, the Palace and Chapel, as well as the Library. The well-known city-centre parkland known as the Mall also featured in the project. The last two events were a symposium on 18th century literature which was held in the Library and the Robinson Lecture organised by the Observatory and held in the Armagh City Hotel.

Morning on the Hill 2009

Following on from the success of the Morning on the Hill initiative in 2008, a threefold visit was again offered to schools on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the spring and summer terms. The visit involved staff of the Church of Ireland Cathedral, namely the Cathedral Steward who talked about the Cathedral building and its history, and the Cathedral Organist and Master of the Choristers who highlighted the importance of music in worship on the Hill of Armagh. He played the music of Handel, who died 250 years ago this year.

The Library completed the visit with the opportunity for pupils to learn about the Library, handle old books with care and view the 1835 Ordnance Survey Maps to show how their townland looked all those years ago.

Expanding on the Morning on the Hill initiative to schools, the Library and the Church of Ireland Cathedral invited groups to take part in a two-fold visit to the Hill of Armagh. During the visit groups heard about the history of the Cathedral and had time to view the Chapter Room, and the crypt. Reference was made to Brian Boru, the legendary High King of Ireland and to the connections of St Patrick with Armagh as his chosen city.

The second part of the visit was to the Library and included its history and reference to some of its collections.

European Heritage Open Days for 2009

This year the Library took part in European Heritage Open Days which were held on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September. The Library joined with 17 other buildings in the City of Armagh and 14 buildings in the County of Armagh, all of which made a visit to this area well worthwhile.

The first event of the City Chapter for 2010 was held to mark World Book Day in the Library. This was a rehearsed reading of the 1702 book A Short and Compendious System ...with some useul Dialogues and Colloquies, agreeable to common Conversation. The reading was carried out by two actors and a musician from the Centre Stage Theatre Company, directed by Roma Tomelty.

A local family donated the book with its dialogues on subjects such as chance meetings on a journey, in an inn and other places. The dialogues have proved as fitting for 2010 as they were for 1702.

This event was given financial support by Armagh City and District Council.

St Patrick's Pilot Scheme

Working in collaboration with St Patrick's Cathedral Armagh and the Armagh County Museum, the Library hosted three visits for schools. This was based on the legacy of St Patrick. We were all delighted that the following schools were willing to work with us on this pilot scheme: the Royal School, Armagh; St Catherine's College, Armagh and Dungannon Integrated College. We have sought the feedback of students and teachers so that we may present a fuller programme in the future.

Story-telling Event

The City Chapter completed its programme for spring and summer with a storytelling event in June in the Library. The storyteller was Niall de Burca, whose use of the spoken word was heard by adults on the Thursday evening and by school students the following morning in the Armagh City Library. The evening event was supported by Armagh City and District Council.