Handwriting in the Archives
From personal letters to manuscripts and signatures of prominent literary and political figures, handwritten material offers a direct connection to the people behind the records. This blog highlights four examples of handwriting from the archives, each reflecting a different historical moment and personal story. Mary Robinson signs the Presidential Oath On the 3 rd of December 1990, Mary Robinson prepared to sign the presidential oath at her inauguration ceremony in Dublin Castle. Taoiseach Charles Haughey presented Robinson with a quill that once belonged to Éamon De Valera, which she used to sign the oath to begin her term as the seventh President of Ireland. Before signing the document, Robinson practiced using the quill on a separate page. Her handwritten signature captures a significant moment: the inauguration of Ireland’s first female president, marked using the quill of another pivotal figure in Irish history. 2. Lámhscríbhinní De hÍde Douglas Hyde, Ireland’s first ...