We are delighted to announce that Erasmus Smith Schools has become the newest member of the Digital Repository of Ireland.
The archives of The Erasmus Smith Schools extend from about 1650 to the present day. They provide a unique snapshot of Irish education and land history from the Protestant perspective—the charity grant aided over 250 schools since the 1660s. Holdings include minute books from the Board of Governors, estate documentation such as maps and correspondence, and archives of many court cases.
DRI Director Natalie Harrower welcomed our latest new member:
From a broad humanities and social science perspective, the Erasmus Smith Schools Archive provides a treasure trove of historical collections, and we’re looking forward to working with Alan to make these more widely available. Currently, access to material has been by appointment, so we are excited to help open these collections to a broader audience.
Alan Phelan, Archivist at Erasmus Smith Schools said of the new partnership:
The Erasmus Smith Schools Archive has been looking at ways to create and utilize a digital collection of holdings. DRI provides so many points of access, best practice, wider networks and stable long term storage that perfectly suits a small institution. ESS is excited to be able to connect and build knowledge of its holdings to a wide potential audience of users and academics, creating awareness and hopefully new research opportunities into this area of land and education history.
DRI looks forward to sharing content from the Erasmus Smith Schools collections over the coming months, so keep an eye on our Twitter feed!
[Photo: Plan for Ardee English School, county Louth, showing watercoloured elevation with painted background, by James Sheil, architect for William P. Ruxton Esq., 1812. Courtesy Erasmus Smith Schools Archive.]
