Official opening of refurbished Woodlock Hall Library

Opened to students in late 2021, the origins of the Woodlock Hall project lay in the desire to develop the All Hallows campus, following its acquisition by DCU, and to establish a library to complement the existing facilities on the other two academic campuses. 

Plans for the restoration began in 2018, coinciding with an agreement between the university and the Irish Jesuits to transfer the library collection from Milltown Park into the care of DCU Library, ensuring its preservation and accessibility into the future. To ensure this vast library was managed appropriately, DCU Library divided the collection into two - the Woodlock Hall Collection, and the Milltown Collection.

Read Tom Swift's feature on the refurbishment of Woodlock Hall here.

Speaking about the refurbishment, Project Manager Eanan O’Doherty said:

“All Hallows is recognised as a heritage site and within that designated heritage there are various listed buildings including Senior House. As a duty of care we need to maintain and protect these structures and it's important that we do it properly. That was one of the real driving factors of the design.” 

The need to honour and conserve the existing space was not just a creative decision, there were also strict planning and heritage requirements, which brought a whole range of challenges. The regulations meant that there could be no adaptation of the internal walls or ceiling of Woodlock Hall. To get around this, the shelving was designed to be free standing. Meanwhile, the original fireplaces were retained, and remain on view in specially designed alcoves. 

The refurbishment of Woodlock Hall saw the relaying of historic timber floorboards, alongside the restoration of the original wooden panelling, timber doors and sash windows, and the installation of sustainable energy solutions, including geothermal heating. McKeon Construction Ltd and Mullarkey Pedersen Architects oversaw the project. 

Visitors to Woodlock Hall will also see artwork commemorating the 1916 leaders.

The portraits, by renowned artist Mick O’Dea, were created in 2016 as part of an exhibition entitled ‘The Foggy Dew’ to mark the destruction of the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) in 1916. The exhibition consisted of a large installation of painting and sculpture including this piece.

The artwork consists of paintings representing 18 leaders to form a block grid. It was gifted to DCU by The One Foundation, and has been placed into Woodlock Hall by DCU Arts and Culture.

Speaking at the event today, Prof Daire Keogh, President of Dublin City University said: 

“The transformation of Woodlock Hall has been truly extraordinary. The team has delivered a state-of-the-art library with a contemporary design that both respects and enhances the historic heritage of the space. We are very grateful to the Jesuits for their partnership on the project, which has allowed us to expand the collections available to students and researchers, while also creating this beautiful new library on DCU’s All Hallows campus.”

Father Leonard Moloney SJ, Irish Jesuit Provincial, said:

“The Irish Jesuit Province is delighted that this library is going to such a good and indeed architecturally stunning home. The extensive collection was always an important resource for scholarship and research and it is great to see it being restored to its former role as a living library. We are particularly  heartened that the library will now serve the needs of the staff and students of DCU and indeed a wider readership including those connected to the Loyola Institute Trinity College Dublin. They say books are friends but in this case, they have helped create new friends for us in the Jesuit province. Our partnership with DCU, especially with Professor Daire Keogh and former Professor Brian McCraith, has been not only fruitful but enjoyable. I am grateful to them, to all the former staff of the Milltown Library,  and to my Jesuit brothers, for their support in this venture which marks an exciting new era in the long history of this unique library.”

John McDonough, DCU Librarian said:

"The opening of Woodlock Hall provides students with access to study spaces and the Milltown collection. We are delighted that thanks to the Jesuit partnership, DCU Library now has a presence on all academic campuses."