THE Minister for Defence formally launched a unique tourism and travel collection at the Glucksman Library in UL recently.

Minister Willie O’Dea unveiled the McAnally Collection—a library of Irish travel, topography and heritage literature spanning 400 years of publications and representing more than 50 years of dedicated work by the late solicitor and book collector, Ciarán Mc Anally.

It will now add to existing UL Library holdings to form the most important resource on the history and development of tourism and travel within Ireland.

The acquisition of this unique archive was made possible by a generous philanthropic donation by Dr Dermot Smurfit, who is a Director of the UL Foundation. 

Professor Jim Deegan, Director of the National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies (NCTPS) at UL said that “since the establishment of the NCTPS we have endeavoured to develop a unique collection of tourism material at the university Library”.

“This collection is a priceless acquisition for the university and, moreover, for Ireland as we can now be confident that a significant part of our heritage will be preserved in perpetuity. It will undoubtedly provide a vital research resource for our students and will provide the basis for significant scholarly works in the future.”

Speaking at the launch, UL president, Professor Don Barry said “the collection represents a unique research opportunity to enhance our understanding of the development of Travel in Ireland and it reinforces the status of the National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies as Ireland’s leading research institution on all facets of Irish tourism”.

The NCTPS and the Glucksman Library have very ambitious plans on how the numerous images and recollections of tourism contained in the McAnally Collection can be linked to future tourism development in Ireland.

Minister O’Dea congratulated the UL Foundation for its role in sourcing the philanthropic gift that made this possible and he also thanked the McAnally family for their contribution to the acquisition of this collection of very valuable books and manuscripts.