A crowd made up of readers, historians, and Notre Dame fans joined together to walk through the Hesburgh Libraries Irish collections via the actual streets of Dublin in the leadup to the Aer Lingus Classic game against Navy.

“Whether you're a passionate reader, a history enthusiast, or a curious wanderer, the Hesburgh Libraries Walk promises to be a memorable adventure,” said K. Matthew Dames, the Edward H. Arnold Dean, Hesburgh Libraries and University of Notre Dame Press, to the gathered crowd Thursday morning. “Join us as we unravel the layers of Dublin's rich history come to life with every step you take on this captivating journey through the ‘Hesburgh Libraries Walk in Dublin City Centre.’”

Dozens of “readers, historians, and wanderers” met at Trinity College in Dublin on Thursday, August 24, to learn about Irish studies at the University of Notre Dame, including the Hesburgh Libraries collections and the faculty and staff who curate and care for it. The collection itself creates opportunities for Notre Dame students to engage with Ireland, through examination and research, a relationship the Hesburgh Libraries team is proud to facilitate.

During a short walk through the streets of Dublin, the Notre Dame faithful witnessed that literature come to life. Journeying from College Green to Merrion Square, with a detour by St. Stephen’s Green, librarians shared some of the exciting books in their library, while other visitors created their own self-guided tour facilitated by the ND Mobile app.

The sheer size of the Irish studies collection makes it one of the best Irish studies compilations worldwide, drawing visitors from around the globe. The even larger, comprehensive Irish studies collection contains the broadest and most complete grouping of Irish fiction in existence. Perhaps even more impressive, the exhibit represents the only Irish language collection outside of Ireland.

Ahead of the walk, the sounds of the Irish studies collection in South Bend and the melodies of the Emerald Isle were brought to life. Students from Trinity College Dublin’s Traditional Irish Music Society performed pieces from the Hesburgh Libraries’ Irish Music Collection.

“The Musical Priest,” an upbeat song performed by harp and fiddle, is one piece in an extensive Irish music collection gifted to the University of Notre Dame in 1931 by Chicago police captain Francis O’Neill. O’Neill’s library of Irish history was well-known to scholars of Irish music and is widely acknowledged for its influence on Irish music of the 20th century.

If you find yourself in Dublin or just want to explore some of our Irish collections, you can still access the self-guided walking tour. To find the walking tour, download the ND Mobile app, and then choose “Guests” as your persona and tap the Hesburgh Libraries icon. The tour is available under the Virtual Tours and Collections icon.

Originally published at www.nd.edu/stories.