Marsh's Library
Marsh's Library is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Dublin audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~45 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type museum
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Dublin Dublin guide
About Marsh's Library
Ireland's first public library, built in 1707, where readers were once locked in wire cages with rare books, the oldest library in Ireland still in its original building.
Marsh's Library, tucked behind St Patrick's Cathedral and dating from 1707, is Ireland's oldest public library and one of the most atmospheric scholarly spaces in these islands. Founded by Archbishop Narcissus Marsh, it was designed by Sir William Robinson (architect of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham) and has changed remarkably little in its 320-year existence.
The library holds approximately 25,000 books from the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries, along with hundreds of manuscripts. Among its most prized possessions are a copy of Clarendon's History of the Rebellion annotated in the margins by Jonathan Swift himself, and a copy of Aesop's Fables with notes in the hand of Queen Elizabeth I.
The library's most unusual feature is its three alcoves enclosed by wire cages, dark wooden rooms where readers were literally locked in with valuable books to prevent theft. These cages are still intact and the library atmosphere is extraordinarily unchanged. It is one of the most remarkable survivals of early 18th-century scholarly culture in Europe.
Did you know? Readers at Marsh's Library were locked inside wire cages with valuable books to prevent theft, a practice that continued well into the 19th century.
How long should you spend at Marsh's Library?
Plan about ~45 min at Marsh's Library. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Marsh's Library worth visiting?
Marsh's Library is one of the 42 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Dublin, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Dublin
Hear the story of Marsh's Library
Preview the Dublin tour free in the Gingerguide app.