Special Collections & Archives have a wide range of sources to assist Archaeological research. Such sources may be original newspapers or newspapers on microform, 1st edition Ordnance Survey maps or maps on microform, maps and sketchbooks in landed estate collections, local history journals, historical pamphlets or an authorised copy of UCD's National and Schools' Folklore Collections.
Special Collections also holds the earliest Archaeology MA thesis completed in Ireland: Johannah Holland's Shore Dwellers of Ancient Ireland (1912). This is one of the many Archaeological MA, MPhil and PhD theses held in the Library.
In addition Special Collections holds almanacs, directories and guides to these sources to aid in the interpretation of them.
Within the landed estate archival collections 17th to 20th century maps, sketchbooks and photographs (19th to 20th century) can be a rich and often un-tapped source of archaeological sites or features in the landscape captured at that time, with some that may no longer exist. These archival collections include:
The Bantry Estate Collection (Co. Cork)
The Bantry Estate Collection: Ancillary (Co. Cork)
The Grehan Estate Collection (Co. Cork)
The Ryan of Inch Collection (Co. Tipperary)
The Villers-Stuart Collection (Co. Waterford)
There are a number of local history-related archival collections of original manuscripts of published material including;
Use William Beauford's Map of Cork (1801) in conjunction with the full run of the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society.
Beauford's map shows the river channel which had previously run the course Patrick's Street covered over. This covering took place between 1774 and 1789.
All PDF documents are available as Word documents. Please contact specialcollectionsarchives@ucc.ie should this be required.
