ERASMUS SMITH SCHOOLS ARCHIVE
The Erasmus Smith Schools Archive is a unique archive in areas of Irish Education History and Land History.
We have also directed your Agent to buy an Iron Chest to be in the custody of your Treasurer, and that the Charter Pattent, leases, Bookes, accompts and papers belonging to you, be from time to time locked in that chest; and to be delivered to the Treasurers Custody by Inventory or schedule, to be entred by him, and a duplicate thereof kept by him, and by them to be delivered over from time to time, when transferred from one Treasurer to another.
Minutes of The Board of Governors
24 February 1678
Research
Information on the Archive holdings and access can be found through the above links. To make a query please fill in the form below or via the contacts.
The web site has several on-line resources to act as finding aids for our holdings such as the Google Maps of former schools in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and a listing of former Schools with a brief summary of their history.
These will be augmented in the coming year with a Board of Governors Register index and English School Master’s Report database.
Other useful finding aids include the “Faithful to Our Trust, a History of the Erasmus Smith Trust and The High School Dublin” by WJR Wallace is unavailable for sale but can be downloaded as a free PDF: Faithful to Our Trust book text. The book can be word searched to find information on your topic.
Access
The Archive is open for researcher in-person visits, generally only from Monday-Wednesday. Access is strictly by appointment only as only one person is allowed in the facility at a time.
Please continue to email for queries to check collections queries with the Archivist before arranging a visit.
Researchers are invited to come to the Archive facility to conduct primary research. Access is strictly by appointment only. Hours of access are Monday to Wednesday 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. There is no charge for access although fees can apply to requests by email or post. The Archive is located on the grounds of The High School, Dublin.
Archive information brochure click archive brochure
Queries will be dealt with via email or phone as much as possible.
Contact
Alan Phelan, Archivist Erasmus Smith Schools, ‘Danum’, Zion Road, Rathgar, Dublin D06 YR68, Ireland
Telephone: +353 1 492 2611 extension 131 Fax: +353 1 492 4427 or direct line: +353 1 499 7531
email: archive@erasmussmithschools.ie
for information on The High School, Dublin please go to www.highschooldublin.com
Digital Repository of Ireland
DRI News:
The second collection of secondary school plans are now available for viewing, which now has an additional 110 sets of architectural plans covering the secondary schools established by Erasmus Smith Schools in Drogheda, Dublin, Ennis, Galway, and Tipperary. This includes grammar schools and The High School, Dublin.
The collection primary school or English School plans can be viewed. This first collection are high resolution images of architectural plans of primary school, mainly from the early 19th century. There are 64 sets of plans that show a wide range of designs which came through various funding schemes.
Our collections offer a unique snapshot of Irish education and land history from the Protestant perspective – the charity grant aided over 250 schools since the 1660s and so has many points of contact across a broad spectrum of the humanities.
Access to material has been by appointment only or in response to specific queries, so these digital deposits at DRI will bring our holdings to a wider audience, research groups and other academic exchange possibilities.
To work on digitising key parts of our collections, the Archive hopes to enable sustainable long term digital storage, create excellent and controlled access points, and bring the collections into wider networks like Europeana which will generate new research possibilities.
Primary School Plans https://repository.dri.ie/catalog/xw431z94s
Secondary School Plans https://repository.dri.ie/catalog/g445s609j
Donations
The High School, Dublin celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2020. Donations of any ephemera, documents, school reports, badges from Past Pupils or anyone associated with the school are most welcome and can be left with Reception at any time or by contacting the Archivist Alan Phelan at archive@erasumussmithschools.ie
Older Events:
Culture Night
The Archive has participated in Culture Night in 2019-24.
The Archive participated in Culture Night for the first time in 2019.