As you climb the stairs to the mezzanine level, look out the glass door ahead of you. You will see a tall ash tree watching silently over our Readers Garden. This is the very tree under which James Joyce was photographed at his graduation in 1902.
Be sure to explore our gardens during your visit; they are the only publicly accessible historic house gardens in Dublin. Why not read a chapter or two on one of the benches or take your own photograph in front of the ash tree?
The little gate at the back leads to the Iveagh Gardens, which was once an earl’s lawn, and which later hosted the Dublin Exhibition Palace in 1865. Try the gate to see if it’s open.
And if you look to your right out the window, you will spot a 200-year-old Killarney Strawberry tree standing in our courtyard garden, right next to the Commons café and the MoLI shop.
When you’ve completed your journey through our exhibition, make sure to have a browse in our shop, and to visit the café.
Now continue up to our mezzanine level to explore further exhibitions about different aspects of Irish literature. Take a deep breath as the beautiful Aula Maxima, the former examination hall of University College Dublin, opens out before you.
