Ciara Daly
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dalykeeks.bsky.social
Ciara Daly
@dalykeeks.bsky.social
1K followers 1.8K following 74 posts
Your friendly neighbourhood Archivist at Trinity College Dublin ✨ Street art enthusiast 🖍️ 📍Galway Girl in Dublin (she/her) 🖤🌻
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dalykeeks.bsky.social
Michael Davitt died #OnThisDay in 1906. In his will he said "To all my friends I leave kind thoughts, to my enemies the fullest forgiveness and to Ireland the undying prayer for the absolute freedom and independence which it was my life's ambition to try and obtain for her." #MichaelDavitt
Photograph of Michael Davitt
May 30, 2025 at 9:45 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
On the morning of the 6th of May 1882, Michael Davitt’s 15-month spell in Portland Prison came to an end. He notes in his diary that he has served just under nine years and has “Three years yet hanging over [his] head." #OnThisDay #MichaelDavitt
Photograph of Michael Davitt during his imprisonment in Dartmoor. Photograph of a page from Michael Davitt's diary from 1882 on the day he was released from Portland Prison
May 6, 2025 at 8:44 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
We remember Irish poet, academic and public figure Brendan Kennelly on what would have been his 89th Birthday. From 2008 to 2023 his archival papers were transferred to the library and from 2022 to 2024 as part of a #VirtualTrinityLibrary Project his extensive papers were catalogued.
Photograph of Brendan Kennelly holding a book
April 17, 2025 at 9:04 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
For World Health Day today, we wanted to share this card designed by Dorothy Blackham from the Cuala Press Print Collection that reminds us that our Health is the greatest gift we have ✨
To see more #CualaPress prints click below
doi.org/10.48495/q811k
Hand-coloured photoengraved print by Dorothy Blackham titled 'Burning Kelp'. The print depicts a woman holding a rake at the water's edge raking kelp against a mountainous backdrop; two men carrying a boat also feature in the background. The text below the illustration is an Indian proverb: "Health is the greatest gift/ Contentedness the greatest riches."
April 7, 2025 at 9:10 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
I'm Ciara, I'm the project Archivist for the Michael Davitt Papers Project in TCD Library. The papers consist of 45 boxes of papers including over 6000 letters, 550 photographs and 72 diaries.

Did you know his favourite colour was light purple!

You can learn more below www.tcd.ie/library/rese...
Photograph of a character sheet filled in by Michael Davitt. Studio portrait photograph of Michael Davitt standing beside a chair while holding a scroll.
April 1, 2025 at 9:09 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Our Michael wasn't much of a birthday person, we can see his contempt shown in his diary entry for his 42nd Birthday in 1888. 🎂🎉

Michael Davitt was born #OTD in Straide, County Mayo in 1846.

doi.org/10.48495/8w3...
#VirtualTrinityLibrary #MichaelDavitt
Photograph of a diary entry from Sunday the 25th March, 1888 that reads "My 42nd or 40th birthday, I don't care which." Studio portrait photograph of Michael Davitt in a bowler hat. Photographed by [John Robert] Hanna, 134 Queen Street, Auckland, New Zealand. Written on the verso: ‘Robert Davitt', and: '1895’.
March 25, 2025 at 9:16 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
For International Day of Happiness I wanted to share this card from the Cuala Press Business Archive by Anne Price which reminds us of the importance of friendship and the happiness it can bring 💛
Hand-coloured photoengraved Christmas card depicting two women underneath a tree, one sitting, one standing. Cottages, mountains and a lake or sea are in the background. Artwork by Anne Price - artist's monogram at bottom right. With text underneath the illustration from the "Letters of Mrs Delany" 1728: "A Fairy spot of ground to be enjoyed with a friend is preferable to the whole World without that Happiness."
March 20, 2025 at 3:48 PM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit! ☘️ Given the occasion, we think this Cuala Press print of a young Saint Patrick and his wolfhound is worth sharing 🇮🇪 The print was designed by Anne Price and is accompanied by text taken from the writings of Saint Patrick 🐍 #CualaPress #SaintPatricksDay
Hand-coloured proof of 'The Young St. Patrick' by Anne Price. Artwork depicts a youthful Saint Patrick with Irish wolfhound; some sheep and a staff or crook are also visible. Accompanied by text taken from the writings of Saint Patrick, first lines "Now after I came to Ireland Tending the flocks was my daily occupation and constantly I used to pray in the daytime".
March 14, 2025 at 9:06 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Michael Davitt had an acute sense of justice. We see this in the prepartion he did during the Special Commission on Parnellism & Crime. There are 4 notebooks which collate notes & evidence from trials which he used to limit reputational damage done to the Irish Parliamentary party.
Photograph of the front cover of notebook MS9551 entitled 'Notes by an amateur detective Oct 1888 - March 1889. Photograph of the first page of MS 9551. The title of the page reads 'The Special Commission' Notes by an amateur detective.
March 11, 2025 at 1:10 PM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Hurrah for love! 💗On the 30th of December 1886 Michael Davitt and Mary Yore married in Oakland, California. Here is his diary entry for that day ❤️#EYALove @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
Photograph of a page from Michael Davitt's diary from 1886 for the day he married Mary Yore. Cabinet Card of Mary Yore
February 27, 2025 at 11:07 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
⚡️The project page for the Michael Davitt papers project is now live ⚡️We now have all things Michael Davitt in the one place! You can find links to the catalogue, the digitised images and an exhibition of photographs from the collection!

www.tcd.ie/library/rese...
IE TCD MS 9649/18 Studio portrait photograph of Michael Davitt sitting, with legs crossed in a Russian fur coat and hat. Photographed by E. Yexobckon, Moscow. Written on the verso: ‘(sent by N York Herald I think ED’, and: ‘En route to Russia 1904? To investigate massacre of Jews in Kischineff’. IE TCD MS 9649/221 Group portrait photograph of Mary Davitt, wife of Michael Davitt, with their children Eileen, Michael, Cahir and Robert Emmet IE TCD MS 9649/285 Photograph of the passing countryside, taken by Michael Davitt while travelling by train in British Columbia. From Davitt’s tour of Northwest Canada in 1891. Written on the back: ‘Passing view from the train in British Columbia – taken from platform at rear of cars’. IE TCD MS 9549 Front cover of Michael Davitt's Diary from 1888
February 20, 2025 at 3:55 PM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
I had the pleasure of speaking to TCD English students this morning on 'Cromwell' in the Brendan Kennelly Literary Archive! It was such a rewarding hour for me as an archivist to see the students engaging with the collection and being so interested in the items!
February 14, 2025 at 3:13 PM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
An alternative Valentine's poem to the traditional "Roses are red, violets are blue" ❤️🌹

Michael Davitt was inspired to compose a humorus doggerel verse about his fellow prisoners in Richmond Prison in his 1883 diary.
#VirtualTrinityLibrary #EYALove @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
Photograph of a poem about prisoners in Richmond Prison in 1883, written by Michael Davitt Photograph of a poem about prisoners in Richmond Prison in 1883, written by Michael Davitt
February 14, 2025 at 12:41 PM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Lá Fhéile Bríde/Happy St. Brigid’s day everyone 💐 Saint Brigid's day marks the end of winter, the first day of spring and new beginnings 🌞
This print has been digitised as part of the Virtual Trinity Library Cuala Press project at the Library of Trinity College Dublin.
doi.org/10.48495/c24...
Hand-coloured photoengraved print by Kathleen Verschoyle titled 'Saint Brigid'. Print depicts Saint Brigid, wearing a blue cloak and holding a lamb, with two lambs at her feet and trees in the background. The text below the illustration is a poem by Winifred M. Letts. The first two lines read "The Dandelion lights its spark, Lest Brigid find the wayside dark."
February 1, 2025 at 8:33 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
We remember Elizabeth Corbet Yeats (1868-1940) who died #onthisday in 1940. Alongside running the Cuala press with her Sister Susan, she designed many prints for the press, including this one, with text by Stephen Gwynn 🎨
You can see more of her designs on digital collections doi.org/10.48495/wh247
Hand-coloured photoengraved print by Elizabeth Corbet Yeats titled 'Mother of my yearning'. Print depicts a thatched cottage with trees and stone walls in the foreground and mountains in the background. The text below the illustration is an excerpt from a poem by Stephen Gwynn titled 'Ireland'. The first two lines of text read "Mother of my yearning, love of all my longings,/Keep me in remembrance, long leagues apart."
January 16, 2025 at 10:29 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
I am delighted that my piece on the Brendan Kennelly Literary Archive appeared in the January/February edition of @araukie.bsky.social Arc magazine! This was such an amazing project and I'm glad the archive is now available for use in The Library of Trinity College Dublin! ✨
January 14, 2025 at 2:26 PM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
✨Staff Forum✨ Christmas edition ❄️
Photograph of a redheaded woman presenting with a Powerpoint with a photograph of Brendan Kennelly on it Photograph of a redheaded woman presenting with a Powerpoint with a photograph of the same redheaded woman sat at a desk with a pile of paper on it
December 11, 2024 at 11:49 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Some behind the scenes of a little Cuala Press showcase today ✨
Photograph of two pages from the Leabhair Dun Eimire depicting the staff Photograph of a postcard for Dun Emer industries depicting a tree with two cherubs and a woman on either side. One holding books and the other holding an embroidered cloth
December 10, 2024 at 4:58 PM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Today is #ChristmasCardDay and in what has become a bit of a tradition, I wanted to share some of our Cuala Press Christmas Cards with you ✨

Such as this one by Elizabeth Corbet Yeats with a poem by An Craoibhín (Douglas Hyde) and this one with a poem by Louis H. Brindley.
#CualaPress
Hand-coloured photoengraved Christmas card depicting a snowy village sceneby Elizabeth Corbet Yeats. Underneath the illustration is verse, in Irish, by An Craoibhín (Douglas Hyde) framed with holly berries and leaves Hand-coloured photoengraved Christmas card of cottages in the snow at night. With verse by L.H.B. (Louis H. Brindley).
December 9, 2024 at 11:42 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Family was extremely important to Michael Davitt. While travelling to Australia for a lecture tour in 1895, he received the news that his daughter Kathleen, had died suddenly of tuberculosis. He carried her photograph with him in his diary until he returned #EYAFamily @araireland.bsky.social
Photograph of a page from Michael Davitt's Diary containing a photograph of his daughter Kathleen
November 28, 2024 at 9:21 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Did you know that Poet and academic Brendan Kennelly not only wrote poetry, but he also adapted three plays from Greek Mythology. Such as his version of Euripides’ Medea and The Trojan Women #EYAMythology #VirtualTrinityLibrary #CuardaighDoChartlann #EYAMiotaseolaíocht @araireland.bsky.social
Photograph of a Programme for a production of Brendan Kennelly's version of Euripides’ Medea Photograph of a programme for a production by Theatre Cryptic of Brendan Kennelly's version of Euripides’ The Trojan Women
November 26, 2024 at 9:30 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
He's an icon, he's a legend, and he is the moment!
#OutfitOfTheDay 17-year-old Michael Davitt looking dapper for a mirrored studio photograph taken circa 1863. #EYAFashion #EYAFaisean #VirtualTrinityLibrary #CuardaighDoChartlann #OOTD @araireland.bsky.social
Mirrored studio photographs of Michael Davitt at 17 years of age, seated with legs crossed and looking past the camera to his left.
November 25, 2024 at 10:02 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
The Brendan Kennelly Literary Archive is the largest boxed collection we have in The Library of Trinity College Dublin. It consists of 457 archive boxes and covers all facets of his life! #EYAHuge #EYAOllmhór @araireland.bsky.social
Photograph of a redheaded woman sat on a pallet in front of piles of banker boxes
November 24, 2024 at 10:02 AM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Radical nationalist and social reformer Michael Davitt was a champion and hero of marginalised communities in Ireland & abroad. Here he is at the eviction of Widow Darcy in Wexford,c1887 in discussion with two Irish Parliamentary Party MPs #EYAHeroes @araireland.bsky.social
#EYA2024
Michael Davitt in discussion with two Irish Parliamentary Party MPs, about the eviction of Widow Darcy in Wexford, c1887.
November 22, 2024 at 12:59 PM
dalykeeks.bsky.social
Such an inspiring speech by Donal Fallon for the @araireland.bsky.social Explore Your Archive campaign launch. Our archives shine a light on the achievements of Irish people and our resilient culture. This is what archives are about, the preservation of this is so important 📁
Photograph of Donal Fallon ambassador for the ARAIreland Explore Your Archive campaign
November 21, 2024 at 7:52 PM