Irish Manuscripts Commission
Encyclopedia
The Irish Manuscripts Commission was established in 1928 by the newly founded Irish Free State
with the intention of furthering the study of Ireland's manuscript collections and archives. Its foundation was primarily motivated by the loss of many historical documents when the Irish Public Record Office was destroyed during the Battle of Dublin
in the Irish Civil War
, and by the burning of Irish family records by the IRA at the Custom House in 1920.
The Commission catalogues and publishes editions of such documents. It also publishes the journal Analecta Hibernica
, which provides information on the Commission's work and editions of shorter manuscripts. Since 1930 it has overseen the publication of over 140 titles.
The Commission is run by a chairman and a board appointed by the Irish government. The Commission's works were published by the Irish Stationery Office (now the Government Supplies Agency) until 1990. Since 1991 it has published its own works.
The Irish Manuscripts Commission is based at 45 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. It shares a building with the Irish Architectural Archive
.
The Commission's first chairman on its foundation was Eoin MacNeill
. Among its first board members was Richard Irvine Best
. The current chair is James McGuire of University College Dublin
.
In 2008 the Irish Government announced its intention to amalgamate the Commission, the National Archives of Ireland
and National Library of Ireland
as part of a wide-ranging programme of cut-backs. The announcement proved highly controversial, with Fintan O'Toole
and Donnchadh Ó Corráin
among the most vocal opponents of the measure.
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
with the intention of furthering the study of Ireland's manuscript collections and archives. Its foundation was primarily motivated by the loss of many historical documents when the Irish Public Record Office was destroyed during the Battle of Dublin
Battle of Dublin
The Battle of Dublin, a week of street fighting in Dublin from 28 June to 5 July 1922, marked the beginning of the Irish Civil War. The fighting began with an assault by the Provisional Government of the proposed Irish Free State on the Four Courts building which had been occupied by a hard-line...
in the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
, and by the burning of Irish family records by the IRA at the Custom House in 1920.
The Commission catalogues and publishes editions of such documents. It also publishes the journal Analecta Hibernica
Analecta Hibernica
Analecta Hibernica is the official academic journal of the Irish Manuscripts Commission, carrying reports on the commission's work and publishing shorter manuscripts. It was established in 1930 and is edited by James Kelly.-References:* at JSTOR...
, which provides information on the Commission's work and editions of shorter manuscripts. Since 1930 it has overseen the publication of over 140 titles.
The Commission is run by a chairman and a board appointed by the Irish government. The Commission's works were published by the Irish Stationery Office (now the Government Supplies Agency) until 1990. Since 1991 it has published its own works.
The Irish Manuscripts Commission is based at 45 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. It shares a building with the Irish Architectural Archive
Irish Architectural Archive
The Irish Architectural Archive was established in 1976 by Dr Edward McParland and Nicholas Robinson to collect and preserve material of every kind relating to the architecture of Ireland, and make it available to the public...
.
The Commission's first chairman on its foundation was Eoin MacNeill
Eoin MacNeill
Eoin MacNeill was an Irish scholar, nationalist, revolutionary and politician. MacNeill is regarded as the father of the modern study of early Irish medieval history. He was a co-founder of the Gaelic League, to preserve Irish language and culture, going on to establish the Irish Volunteers...
. Among its first board members was Richard Irvine Best
Richard Irvine Best
Richard Irvine Best , often known as R. I. Best, was an Irish scholar who specialised in Celtic Studies.Best was born into a Protestant family in Derry and educated at Foyle College before working for a time in a bank...
. The current chair is James McGuire of University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
.
In 2008 the Irish Government announced its intention to amalgamate the Commission, the National Archives of Ireland
National Archives of Ireland
The National Archives of Ireland is the official repository for the state records of the Republic of Ireland. Established by the National Archives Act 1986, it came into existence in 1988, taking over the functions of the State Paper Office and the Public Record Office of Ireland. The National...
and National Library of Ireland
National Library of Ireland
The National Library of Ireland is Ireland's national library located in Dublin, in a building designed by Thomas Newenham Deane. The Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism is the member of the Irish Government responsible for the library....
as part of a wide-ranging programme of cut-backs. The announcement proved highly controversial, with Fintan O'Toole
Fintan O'Toole
Fintan O'Toole is a columnist, assistant editor and drama critic for The Irish Times. He has written for The Irish Times since 1988 and was drama critic for the New York Daily News from 1997 to 2001. He is a literary critic, historical writer and political commentator, with generally left-wing views...
and Donnchadh Ó Corráin
Donnchadh Ó Corráin
Donnchadh Ó Corráin is an Irish historian and Professor Emeritus of Medieval History at University College Cork. He is an early Irish and mediaeval historian and has published on the Viking Wars, Ireland in the pre-Hiberno-Norman period and the origin of Irish language names.-Works:Ó Corráin's...
among the most vocal opponents of the measure.