PRESIDENT Catherine Connolly has formally opened the new joint headquarters of Poetry Ireland and the Irish Heritage Trust.
Both cultural organisations will now be located at 11 Parnell Square East, which was the location of Dublin City Council’s headquarters in the early 20th century.
In recent years the historic Georgian building has been redeveloped and reopened following a €5.5m conservation project led by Poetry Ireland, the Irish Heritage Trust and the Irish Landmark Trust, who all now have offices within the building.
Now open to the public, the site has been transformed into an “inclusive cultural centre dedicated to celebrating and sharing Irish heritage and culture with the public”, the Irish Heritage Trust confirms.
It houses The Seamus Heaney Poetry Library, featuring the late Nobel laureate’s private collection donated by his family, alongside the Austin Clarke Poetry Collection and a contemporary poetry library.
Today President Connolly formally opened the building, alongside Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne and Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan.