Conversations began in 2010 between the National Library of Ireland and UCD around a creative alliance between two unique assets – the NLI’s Joyce collections and UCD’s most significant historic property, Newman House.
A working group was established in 2012 and an exceptionally generous donation from Martin and Carmel Naughton turned the idea into reality. Scott Tallon Walker Architects and Ralph Appelbaum Associates were engaged to transform Newman House’s Aula Maxima building into a 10,000ft² exhibition space. While doing this, they aimed to create universal access across all the buildings of the historic site where UCD itself was founded.
Further generous funding and strategic advice from Fáilte Ireland brought the project to construction stage. Builders arrived on site in October 2017, and the Museum of Literature Ireland opened to the public on 21 September, 2019.
