Guided Tour: The Ussher Bird Notes collection

During National Biodiversity Week Ireland 2024, Academy Librarian, Barbara McCormack, will deliver a short, guided tour of the collection. The tour will last approximately 15-20 minutes, but participants are welcome to remain on to take a closer look at highlights from the collection afterwards.

Richard John Ussher MRIA, 1841-1913, was a speleologist, ornithologist and the main author of Ussher & Warren, The Birds of Ireland (1900), a seminal publication in the history of Irish ornithology that provides a startling benchmark by which we can measure the decline of native bird species populations today. The collection consists of Ussher’s notes and correspondence relating to the various bird species recorded in Ireland.

During the tour you will learn about Richard J. Ussher and the significance of the Ussher Bird Notes collection and hear about plans for future preservation and outreach. Recently, the Library of the Royal Irish Academy was pleased to announce a new project, The Birds of Ireland, generously supported by The Heritage Council. The aim of the project is to enable the long-term preservation, access, and discovery of material from the Ussher Bird Notes collection. Join us to learn more about this project and the fascinating collection that inspired it.

Access requirements

Have you got any access requirements that we can assist you with, so that you can fully engage with our event? Please let us know by contacting our access officer in advance of the event, by email: accessofficer@ria.ie