Máire

The previous post deals with a talk by Mary Clarke, Dublin City Archivist, whose office adjoins the reading room in the Dublin City Library and Archive (DCLA) in Pearse St.

The office next to hers is occupied by Máire Kennedy, Divisional Librarian, and they are both series editors of one of the Council's series of publications. The most recent publication in this series is "A City in Conflict: Dublin City and the 1913 Lockout" (ed Francis Devine). The detail above shows Máire with President Higgins on the occasion of a presentation to him of a copy of the book.

I have been dealing with Máire now, quite intensively, since 2008 when I persuaded her to let me give my first talk at that year's local history day in the marvellous lecture room in Pearse St. In the intervening years I managed to get her to let me do four more talks covering both local history (Killiney) and my family history.

Her help, enthusiasm and blind faith have been a wonder to behold. She didn't bat an eylid when I told her I would be using the projector, sound and real time online customised interactive Google maps in my first talk. I have a sneaking suspicion that she welcomed the opportunity to show off the, then relatively new, lecture room facilities.

Fortunately all went well, and, as I said, both she and I have been back for more.

Both Máire and Mary make for a formidable team in DCLA, ever patient, generous with their attention and time, enormously helpful, and wearing their learning and qualifications with an excess of modesty.