Local history with Monica McGill: Protected building is oldest library is South Dublin County

Clondalkin Library on Monastery Road is a protected building and the oldest library in the South Dublin County library network.

Until the North Clondalkin Library opened recently, it was the only library for the wider Clondalkin region – an area whose population has increased steadily since the 1950s.

Records show that “the library” (as many local people still call it) opened in 1911, only three years before World War One started. On launch day, it had 90 books on offer to the public.

This initial collection was donated by local people, and in true Clondalkin tradition, further donations followed. These days, it’s easy to request a book or other media from any branch of the entire South Dublin Library network. Our exceptionally helpful librarians are happy to help.

The Chairman of the first Library Committee was Canon Baxter, the then R.C. Parish Priest, and a chair was provided in his honour.

It’s still in the building. A Library Committee suggests there was a lot of foresight and much practical work done before Clondalkin Library was even built. That’s where The Carnegie Trust comes in.

Andrew Carnegie was a very successful and hard-working Scots-American industrialist. Born in poverty in Scotland, he and his parents and siblings emigrated to America when Andrew was 13.

To help support the Carnegie family, Andrew worked all day at lowly-paid jobs.

Nightly he studied to educate himself, grasping the opportunity to pore over the books in the personal library of a wealthy gentleman who offered his library to ambitious young lads like Andrew.

Eventually, by hard work, astute choices and determination, Andrew himself became wealthy enough to set up the Carnegie Trust. Its specific goal was to provide libraries of books, free of initial charge, to the public throughout the then British Empire, including Ireland.

If the people in a locality could prove to the Trustees that they were serious about building a public library and equipping it, the Carnegie Trust would donate the funds to do so.

Having secured funding from the Carnegie Trust, the other problem the Clondalkin Library Committee faced was finding a responsible (and reasonably-priced, no doubt) architect who could design and oversee the work. Enter T.J. (Thomas) Byrne.

Byrne was born in England in 1876, of Anglo-Irish parentage. He started his training as an architect when he was just 15, in Drogheda.

By 1919 he had risen to the post of Housing Inspector to the Local Government Board, but by that time he had already designed and supervised the building of the Carnegie Library on Monastery Road.

Our local Library Committee had chosen well. By 1923, Byrne had become Principal Architect in Ireland’s Office of Public Works, and he was responsible for the reconstruction of our public buildings after the War of Independence.

These included the Four Courts (where he ordered that the pillars supporting the dome be turned around to display their undamaged side, instead of having to use scarce concrete to make new ones), the Custom House and the GPO.

All these iconic buildings are still with us, thanks to Byrne’s ingenuity and expertise.

He was also important to the development of Dublin Airport and Baldonnell.

Byrne’s work included designing cottages for labourers and their families. Many Byrne-designed cottages are in Clondalkin.

They are protected buildings and remain family homes, easily identified because of their style.

His design resulted in cottages that would be comfortable to live in, well finished, easily heated, with a large back garden to provide ample space for each family to grow their own vegetables and fruit, so their cost of living could remain as low as possible.

From almost the day it opened in 1911, the Clondalkin Library has been the local centre for social as well as educational opportunities.

This tradition continues, but somewhat differently nowadays.

For instance, there hasn’t been a céilí or a dance in the library for a long time, although there are many classes and lectures in all sorts of subjects and many opportunities to learn new skills, many for the cost of just arriving on time. Become a member – it’s free and check the Facebook page.

If the ghost of Countess Markievicz returned, requesting to address the population from the Library as part of a recruitment drive for the Citizens’ Army (as she did in real life in 1912) … well, it’s likely that our present-day Librarians would be gentle in their refusal to the wraith of the first woman elected to the Westminster Parliament, Minister for Labour in our first Dáil and therefore first female Cabinet Minister in Europe!

The educational side of Clondalkin Library continues almost as it did in the past. Years ago, woodwork classes were conducted upstairs, whereas now our students can do their homework there in a quiet atmosphere with all the modern techy services they need, all free, and surrounded by reference books in case the broadband fails – which wouldn’t be the library’s fault!

Younger folk are encouraged to explore the fun creative PC, the Early Years Tilt and Touch Table and loads of books to read by themselves or with their parents or guardians while nestled in the comfy bean-bags.

Adults who crave a less structured approach can read the daily papers, browse through magazines, or just read a book while sitting downstairs in armchairs. There are computers if the time-slot is available. You can access third-level journals (such as JStor) via the library. They’re difficult to access away from a third-level college.

Architecture – The building itself deserves some inspection. The more you look, the more you’ll see – a genuine piece of art, in the Arts and Crafts style of its time.

Small, dainty leaded windows still allow a peaceful, airy atmosphere inside.

This is especially so upstairs where the high ceiling of painted wood bolted together might be a construction teaser even today.

Outside, the gently-curving archway over the main door invites scrutiny.

The overall proportions of this gorgeously striped and quietly extravagant, stylish building holds a surprise at every glance, even to the grand square tower echoing Tully’s Tower further down Monastery Road.

Next time, really look at Clondalkin Library from across the road. Then go in and luxuriate in all our library offers!