Celebrating 180 years of UCC
During 2025 a UCC working group came together to create an exhibition to mark 180 years since the Colleges Act of 1845. The title of the exhibition was 'Celebrating 180 Years: University College Cork in Society'. Looking at original documents and artefacts in the University Archives, the UCC Heritage Services Collection and in the Library, the team wrote panels relating to the history of student life and sport, the administrative milestones of UCC and research and innovation.
Elements in the exhibition were: an historic timeline of key milestone dates in the history of the University; an innovative 'Map Wall' showing the expansion and growth of the University campus with the addition of key buildings during the last 180 years; and original documents and artefacts.
Items from the UCC Heritage Services collection on display were: the seal matrix of Queen’s College Cork, which was used with sealing wax to produce a wax seal on official documents; a UCC Athletic Championships medal, won by graduate Fergus Ó Tuama (BE 1950) in the 120 yards hurdle (1950); shield-shaped, metal hat badges worn by College Porters and General Services staff, 1970s and 1980s; a silver trowel used ceremonially to lay the foundation stone of the Business and Languages Building, now known as the O'Rahilly Building, UCC (1996); and the UCC Inter-Society Debating Trophy (1959-1994); a UCC Proud ally lanyard and button (2022).
The exhibition was opened by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD on 1 December 2025. In his remarks he said: "University College Cork has been a cornerstone of Ireland’s intellectual and cultural life for 180 years. This exhibition is not just a celebration of the past, but a recognition of UCC’s enduring role in shaping our society and inspiring future generations."
UCC 180 Working Group: Dr John Borgonovo (School of History, University Historian), Barbara Diener (Library), Rachel Granville (University Archivist), Dr Margaret Lantry (University Curator), Grace McGlynn (Library), Dr Helene O'Keeffe (College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences).
Women on Walls at UCC
In the summer of 2025, the University Curator supervised the de-install of the Presidents' portraits in the Aula Maxima. Although moving art is stressful for the objects (and the people!), this event provided a rare opportunity to examine each portrait close-up. On this occasion, examination of the portrait of William Kirby O'Sullivan supplied new information about the portrait, which was its date 1907 and the artist's signature, who turns out to be Walter A. Mulligan ARCA (1861-1919). Research reveals that Mulligan was Headmaster of the Cork School of Art.
In November, ten of the Presidents' portraits were re-installed in the Aula Maxima along with the four new Women on Walls portraits. The other five portraits are now hanging in the North Wing vestibule nearby, along with a portrait of zoologist Prof. Máire Mulcahy (first woman Vice President of UCC). A new life and colour has been brought to the Aula Maxima with the addition of the new portraits.
The first century of women at UCC
Hosted by the UCC Women Graduates’ Association and introduced by Dr. Bettie Higgs, Dr Margaret Lantry presented her research into the first century of women at Queen's/University College Cork for the first event of the newly invigorated association.
The session brought to life the remarkable stories of the first women students, graduates, and faculty members at UCC. The first women students began in 1886 (before Oxford, Cambridge or Trinity College Dublin). Jane C. E. Roche was conferred BA in 1887 so becoming the first woman graduate from Cork.
Mary Ryan, UCC Professor of Romance Languages (1910-38), was the first woman professor on the island of Ireland. The first Medical woman graduate was Dr Dora E. Allman in 1898 and the first woman Dental graduate was Mary O’Connor (later Mrs Moore, BDS 1918, MB BCh BAO 1919), whose granddaughters were present at the event. At the first graduation ceremony for BSc graduates in 1911, there were six women and five men. UCC's first woman Engineering graduate was Iris A. Cummins in 1915 (the Civil Engineering building is now named the Cummins Building). The first women graduates in Commerce were Julia O’Keeffe (later Mrs Allman, Dip in Comm 1918, BComm 1919) and Mary G. O’Connor (later Mrs Daly, BComm 1919). In Music, Ena P. Peggs (later Mrs Hendrick), graduated BMus in 1928. Margaret M. Osborne became the first woman graduate conferred with BSc(Dairying) when she graduated in 1945.
Cork University Press Centenary Symposium and Exhibition
2025 marks 100 years of Ireland's oldest university press — Cork University Press founded in 1925. To mark the event, Head of Publishing Sinéad Neville and her team organised an exhibition in the Boole Library, UCC, in conjunction with the Library and also hosted a one-day event held, on 11 September 2025, at which scholars spoke about 15 books through the decades.
Dr Margaret Lantry was invited to speak about John A. Murphy's The College: A History of Queen's / University College Cork, which was published in 1995 to mark the 150th anniversary of UCC.
UCC Heritage Services also contributed to the associated exhibition loaning print blocks from the UCC Heritage Services Collection. These included the print block used to create the dustjacket of William O'Sullivan's The Economic History of Cork City to 1800 (1937) (image below) and print blocks for photographs of George Boole's former home in Blackrock and the Boole Memorial window in UCC, used in Patrick D. Barry's George Boole: A Miscellany (1969).
175 Years of Physics at UCC
On Friday afternoon, 29 November 2024, a Celebration of 175 years of Physics took place at University College Cork.
Firstly, a Tree Planting ceremony took place with a Rowan tree planted near the Crawford Observatory.
This was followed by two events in The Hub. UCC students, staff, alumni and guests listened to talks from Prof. Colm O'Sullivan, Dr Pádraig Mac Carthaigh and Dr Margaret Lantry spoke about different aspects of the history of Physics at UCC, reflecting a time-line from the era of Natural Philosophy to today. Margaret's talk focussed on the facilities available for the study of physics between 1849 and 1970 - moving from the West Wing of the Main Quadrangle to the Physical and Chemistry Building in 1910 (now the Iris A. Cummins Building) and on to the New Science (Kane) Building in 1970.
These talks were followed by a fascinating panel discussion (online and in person) featuring distinguished alumni who spoke about their journey to physics, the memories of their studies at UCC and their careers ever since. Members of the panel were Séamus Davis, Sian Joyce, Margaret Murnane, Richard G. Milner, Eoin Murphy, Patrick O’Shea and Laura Russell.
Alongside this, there was a display of scientific instruments, old textbooks and reports as well as photos for people to peruse.
For those unable to join us on campus, the talks and discussion were streamed.
Recordings of the talks and alumni discussion are available here.
Annual St Finbarr's Day Lecture at the Honan Chapel
Dr Margaret Lantry, University Curator, was honoured to be asked to deliver the annual St Finbarr's Day Lecture on 25 September 2024. She spoke in the Chapel about 'The Creators of the Honan Chapel 1916-1918'. This talk provided an insight into the craftswomen and men who created the various elements of the Honan Chapel. These people include the building (John Sisk and Son of Cork), the windows (Harry Clarke and An Túr Gloine studio), the design of the metalwork by Prof. William A. Scott of UCD, the gold and silversmiths (Edmond Johnson Ltd of Grafton Street, Dublin, and William Egan and Son of Cork) amongst others.
RTÉ Nationwide at The Honan Chapel
On 3rd March 2021, UCC Heritage Services was part of the filming of objects from the collection of the Honan Trust by RTÉ Nationwide (aired 12 May 2021). The Honan Chapel is currently undergoing restoration. Work commenced in November 2020 with FMP Architects and conservation specialist Joe Costello as main contractor with specialist restoration techniques to renovate the renowned Harry Clarke and Sarah Purser stained glass windows. The project is due for completion in summer 2021.
UCC graduate and expert on the Honan Chapel and objects, Virginia Teehan (CEO The Heritage Council), spoke about the beauty and importance of the entire project as conceived by Sir John R. O'Connell (solicitor and executor of the Honan Estate) and Sir Bertram C. A. Windle (President, UCC) in 1916. Virginia has written extensively about the Honan Chapel and objects: particularly the history and catalogue in The Honan Chapel: a golden vision (Cork University Press) and organised two conferences (The Honan Chapel Centenary Symposium in 19-20 November 2016 hosted by UCC and the Governors of the Honan Trust; and while she was Director of the Heritage Office, UCC, in January 2000), as well as being co-curator of an international exhibition, 'The Arts and Crafts Movement: Making It Irish', 6 February-5 June 2016 at the McMullen Museum, Boston College, USA, with accompanying catalogue and ebook.
The Honan Chapel was designed as a unified whole and is a unique outcome from the Irish Arts and Crafts movement. Watch the video produced by Boston College for the 'Making It Irish' exhibition at which many objects from the Honan Chapel collection were exhibited:
National Heritage Week 2020
UCC Heritage Services have taken part in one of UCC's contributions to a National Heritage Week 2020 project. This year, due to COVID-19-related restrictions on social gatherings, Heritage Week is taking place online. This year’s theme is ‘Heritage and Education: Learning from our Heritage’. The Crawford Observatory, in the heart of UCC, is the focus of this project. Margaret Lantry, Acting University Curator, spoke about the place of the building on campus and how Dr William Kirby Sullivan, the second President of Queen's College, Cork, set out his renewal of the University in the 1870s. Funded by philanthropy, this observatory is unique in Ireland for the remarkable state of preservation of the three telescopes that it holds and also the original condition of the building. It is also important for its design. Margaret has written about the historical context for the creation of the [PDF] with information about the telescopes, including photos, maps and links for further information.
In the film Prof. Paul Callanan, of the Department of Physics in UCC, contributes his expert knowledge about Howard Grubb, the maker of the telescopes, and also about the instruments themselves. It was very exciting to help to open the shutter over the transit telescope. Paul also opens the dome that covers the equatorial telescope.
Thanks to Eoin Hahessy, Michael Tobin and Eoin O'Sullivan of UCC Audio Visual Media Services for the filming.
Culture Night 2019
The Crawford Observatory and its history
On Friday, September 20th 2019, there will be more than 100 venues across Cork city hosting a range of free events to mark Culture Night. In UCC alone events ranging from talks, tours and creative workshops will be presented in many departments, ranging from English through to the Library, Music to the Visitor Centre.
Margaret Lantry, University Curator, Heritage Services, Buildings & Estates, will present a talk about the background and history of the Crawford Observatory. Wearing her MA gown like academics of old, Margaret will host her event in the historic main quadrangle in W6, one of the original lecture theatres of UCC – built in 1849, while the Observatory was opened in 1880.
She will present a brief history of the Crawford Observatory: the people: President W. K. Sullivan, local businessman and philanthropist W. H. Crawford and Ireland's premier scientific instrument maker Howard Grubb; and the building itself. Lots of photos will be shown of the building and maps! Margaret will also show original glass plate negatives of a partial lunar eclipse taken in 1917.