Thursday, 24 April 2014

National Library releases 10,500 digital images

http://catalogue.nli.ie/
The National Library of Ireland has released more than 10,500 images following a digitisation project that's taken some seven years to complete.

The collections included in this latest release are:

The James P O'Dea, 1910–1992 photographic collection:
This will bring a happy glow to the faces of railway enthusiasts everywhere! Most of the photographs are of trains and stations, and with a mere 5340 of them, your favourite anorak should be smiling for some time. There are also 125 photos of railway employees, so worth taking a look if you've family who worked on the railways.

Thomas Holmes Mason, 1877-1958 photographic collection:
Dating primarily from the early 1900s to the 1940s, these photos are particularly strong on scenes of Irish industry in the first years of the 20th century. Country themes are also included.

Prints and Drawings: Most of this huge upload of some 3,000 images feature portraits and drawings of more than one thousand famous and infamous figures from Irish history, mostly 19th century.

Genealogical Office Manuscripts Collection: A technicolour collection of images. Really, the colours in some of the older arms are just beautiful.

Tom Clarke & Kathleen Clarke Papers, 1890 -1972 collection:
A photographic album of the revolutionary family.

Speaking at the launch of the new additions to NLI’s digital resources today, Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, said, “The National Library of Ireland holds collections that are of great national significance. The newly digitised collections chart the story of Ireland and are a wonderful piece of our cultural and literary heritage which will now be preserved for and made accessible to the people of Ireland for generations. Furthermore, it showcases once again Ireland’s growing reputation as a centre for the innovative use of digital technology.”

Pull up a chair and dig deep into the library's catalogue here. (Enter a search term ie 'dea', tick the 'digitised only' box and click Find. On the next screen, use the filters on the right to home in on your particular interests.)