Official Opening of the Hardiman Research Building

Dr. James Cunningham, Whitaker Institute, John Cox, Hardiman Library, Dr. Dan Carey, Moore Institute, Ruairi Quinn, T.D. Minister for Education, Prof. Jim Browne, President, NUI Galway at the official opening of the Hardiman Research building

On the 1st May the Hardiman Research Building was officially opened by Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn, T.D. The Hardiman Building is an exciting development and a key departure on campus in that it will unite the unique research resources within the Hardiman Library with the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at NUI Galway. 

Located next to the Hardiman Library and at the heart of campus, the Hardiman Research Building comprises the new home for Archives and Special Collections, Digitisation, Research Support and other Library services as well as creating a collaborative space for research with the Moore Institute for research in the Humanities and Social Studies, and the Whitaker Institute for Innovation and Societal Change located on the upper floors of the building. The Moore Institute is a leading voice in digital humanities, medieval and early modern history,  literature, travel, and cultural encounter. The Whitaker Institute, honouring the enduring contribution of public servant T.K. Whitaker, is the largest national business and social science institute on the island. 

The Hardiman Research Building, recently named the 2014 Irish Building and Design Architectural Project of the Year, is also home to NUI Galway’s unique collection of more than 350 literary, theatrical, political and historical archives. The Hardiman Research Building will house the digitised Abbey Theatre Archive, the world’s largest digital theatre archive, under development since 2012. Other collections include archives of John McGahern, Thomas Kilroy, Druid Theatre, Brendan Duddy, Prof. Kevin Boyle, historic University collections and Irish language and landed estate collections.

An exhibition of the digital Abbey Theatre Archive opens to the public for the first time today to mark the launch of the Hardiman Research Building. The ‘Performing Ireland: 1904-2014' exhibition features a taste of more than 1 million items that comprise the Abbey Theatre Archive.

More on the Abbey Theatre archive can be seen here. 

A selection of images from the official opening and an interview with Aideen Howard, Literary Director of the Abbey Theatre can be viewed here: 

John Cox, Librarian, Hardiman Library, Ruairi Quinn, T.D., Minister for Education, and
Prof. Jim Browne, President, NUI Galway

The Hardiman Building

Abbey Theatre staff installing a range of theatre costumes as part of the
 'Performing Ireland' exhibition at the Hardiman Building

Selection of Abbey Theatre props on display as part of the 'Performing Ireland'
 Exhibition at the Hardiman Building