Australia: Victoria State Library
The State Library of Victoria is the largest public reference library in the State, with extensive holdings of manuscripts, rare books, printed materials, photographs, pictures and born-digital files. The Library’s major collections of Australian and international materials has been built over the years through careful acquisition and generous donations.
When Cork born solicitor Sir Redmond Barry established the Melbourne Public Library, as the State Library was known at the time of its foundation in 1854, he conceived of it as “the people’s university”, a place where the world’s knowledge and information would be freely available to all citizens of the growing colony of Victoria, regardless of their social status or financial resources. The Library was one of the first free public libraries in the world. Today the State Library in central Melbourne is visited by 1.5 million people annually, with online visits to the Library’s website close to 6 million.
The Library’s three Irish manuscripts were acquired between 1863 and 1888. The first, MS 10595, was gifted by the Rev. Dr John Barry on 12th May 1863, one month before he departed the city. Barry was well-known for his teaching role in Ireland, and later association with St. Patrick’s School in East Melbourne. The second manuscript, MS 10357, was purchased in 1867 from the Melbourne antiquarian bookseller and publisher Henry Tolman Dwight. The final manuscript, RARES 091 C76, was gifted to the Library by Matthew O’Shanassy, son of the Tipperary born Premier of Victoria, Sir John O’Shanassy (1818–1883). John O’Shanassy’s complete book collection, of which this manuscript was a part, came to the Melbourne Public Library, through Matthew O’Shanassy, in 1888.
Speculation has existed as to whether the latter two manuscripts reached Melbourne via Edward Hayes, author of the Ballads of Ireland. Hayes’ extensive collection of over 3000 volumes, including a number of Irish manuscripts, was sold at public auction in Melbourne in 1864. The catalogue for this auction was prepared by Henry Tolman Dwight.
All three manuscripts are available for consultation by researchers, in the Library.
