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Emma Rothwell

@rothweeee.bsky.social
336 followers 299 following 122 posts

Assistant Librarian @rialibrary.bsky.social. Libraries, history, art, theology, music and all that good stuff.

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Reposted by Emma Rothwell
Tuatha @tuatha.ie · 26/08/2026
As today is #InternationalDogDay here is a good boy from medieval Ireland. He is beautifully depicted lying faithfully at the feet of Pierce Fitz Og Butler (who died in 1526) at Kilcooley Abbey, Tipperary. I'd love to have our own barkaeologist Peig depicted on my effigy when I go! 🐕 #Ireland
A stone effigy of a knight resting his feet on a small dog with curly fur
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David Stifter 🍵📄🦊 @davidstifter.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Some more snippets from my recent holiday in Austria. We visited the mighty Benedictine monastery of St Paul im Lavanttal (Carinthia), world-famous for keeping the only copy of the poem of the Irish scholar and his cat Pangur Bán (lower part of the left page). Above Messe ocus Pangur Bán,... /1
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
That's it now. No more until after I'm dead.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
I wonder who it is?
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Library architecture at its most amusing.
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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
After a month of drought, outside the forest the ground is dry and cracked. But within, there's still no shortage of water, and in many places footsteps quickly fill. By thoroughly removing natural ecosystems, we have removed the land's ability to regulate its own hydrology, and so much more.
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Ashmolean Museum, Oxford @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Made in early 17th century England, this lady’s cap features a beautifully detailed botanical design. The scrolling gold-work design forms compartments containing strawberries, honeysuckle, cowslips, a foxglove-like flower and the distinctive spiked blue borage flower.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Can't catch a break in Ardstraw, Co. Tyrone. On the trail of more dead antiquarians in @nlireland.bsky.social ...
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Ashmolean Museum, Oxford @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
This beautiful bag dates from early 17th century England. These small bags, often called sweet bags, were filled with scented herbs. They could also have been used for small gifts or to hold alms.
Small bag with embroidered roses, heartsease, daffodils, cornflowers and tulips within a scrolling design.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
I was reading Gulliver for the first time during the last referendum. Snorted on the luas at the part where politicians on one island said they were told to argue a point as passionately as possible but then vote the opposite way to be sure they would do the right thing.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Trash talk in 18th Ireland: "go you in you dirty creature".
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Capitol Hill Books @capitolhillbooks.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
I’m not financially qualified to give this advice but I think you should quit your job and just come read all day.
Books
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Leafleting, not canvassing. Since Pascal stepped down I've hopped up to every doorbell. I've spoken to Ó Ceannabháin, two Jehovah's Witnesses & a gas salesman. The 3 in hand were delivered tonight while I read in my front room. I saw Jack Chambers posing for a photo on my road but spoke to no one.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
Very fun time on the Royal Canal meeting the local soprano pippistrelle bats!
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Des Fitzgerald @desfitzgerald.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Hans moleman meme. The text is "I need the most galway job you have/no, that's too galway."
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Garth Marenghi's Catbus @catbus.phd · 03/05/2026
when ur on a walk and there's a dog
woodcut of an Elizabethan looking fellow in cape and hat with a walking stick observing a small animal and saying 'O yes'
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Even while understanding library jargon, this is still a very funny note.
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Library of the Royal Irish Academy @rialibrary.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
We love this colour version of the Three Candles Press printer's device. It is pasted onto an offprint of Séamus Ó Casaide MRIA's own copy of his paper, "An Old Almanac" from the Irish Book Lover (1933). The printer Colm Ó Lochlainn succeeded Ó Casaide as volunteer editor of the Irish Book Lover.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
This is one of the best memes of all time.
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Burns Library @burnslibrary.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Whether or not you filed your taxes yesterday, enjoy this postcard from playwright and activist (George) Bernard Shaw. Shaw sent this pre-printed postcards to people who reached out seeking charitable donations. Contact us to see more. Finding aid here: findingaids.bc.edu/repositories...
Mr. Bernard Shaw receives daily a mass of appeals from charitable institutions, religious sects, and Churches, inventors, Utopian writers desirous of establishing international millennial leagues, parents unable to afford secondary education for their children: in short, everybody and every enterprise in financial straits of any sort..."
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Dr Alison Ray @liber-ray.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Mystery Bookplate! I’m trying without any luck to identify this bookplate after checking through printed sources and online databases, and would be grateful for any advice! 📖🔎
Ex-libris bookplate featuring a shield with a chevron design and two flowers, and a knight’s helmet with plume and a motto banner reading ‘Je suis de Campagnon Bon Seigneur’.
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Benjamin Casey @benjamin-casey.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Excited to announce that my journal article on women printsellers in early nineteenth-century Dublin has been published in @eshsi.bsky.social It explores the gendered dynamics of the family print shop and how labour was divided in these domestic and commercial spaces.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Hurray bookplates!
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
Finally got into St Mary's Abbey. The phrase "hidden gem" might actually have some meaning in this case. An underground monastery felt very apt for this weekend.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
B̶o̶o̶k̶b̶u̶y̶e̶r̶ Librarian. Preach 🙌
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Come see our lovely books! This exhibition is so good! 📚 🥰
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Am I a fairweather fan? Yes. Am I annoyed that fairer fairweather fans are slowing down RTÉ player by tuning in for extra time when I've been here since the beginning of this match? Yes. ☘️🦜
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
This was fascinating! I am working on provenance research at the moment and struggling because items that found their way into collections abroad are catalogued inaccurately. Former owners who would be well-known by Irish cataloguers don't ring bells for UK and American cataloguers!
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Very reassuring to hear library leader Niamh Tumelty say she thinks the "bookless library" is unlikely to come to fruition. I love a digital resource at much as the next person, but this humble piece of technology changed the world as much as AI ever will, and I still love them too!!! #asl2025
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Letterboxd @letterboxd.social · 24/03/2026
good mornin’ 🌦️ it’s don lockwood’s lucky day 🍀
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A&SL @aslibraries.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Two tickets have just become available for #ASL2026 happening next Tuesday in the @ria.ie! They're not likely to be around for long so get over to aslibraries.ie/asl-conferen... check out the amazing schedule and book your ticket now!
media.tenor.com
a cat wearing a scarf is sitting in front of a laptop .
ALT: a cat wearing a scarf is sitting in front of a laptop .
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Some big ol' hand coloured railway survey maps today.... one simply coloured by county and one coloured by staff at the Geological Survey in 1877.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Luggala, good company and a thermos full of sausages: a happy St Patrick's Day!
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
How? It is just a boring book by a terrible person. I despair.
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Library of the Royal Irish Academy @rialibrary.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
We were delighted to facilitate the loan of John Templeton MRIA's manuscript catalogue of native Irish plants to @ulstermuseum.org You can read more about the manuscript in our recent blog www.ria.ie/blog/the-cat... 🧵
ria.ie
Catalogue of the Native Plants of Ireland - Royal Irish Academy
Read about Irish botanist, John Templeton (1766-1825), and his seminal manuscript catalogue of native Irish plants, which has been loaned by RIA Library to Ulster Museum for a special display celebrat...
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Looking forward to speaking about Cardigans & Communications 🧶🤳
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Compositors and printers, ahoy!
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Sigh. Those who do not want to think for themselves will soon make it impossible for those of us who do.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
"...bless the power of the sun, its conspiracy with the underground..." - The Seed, Paula Meehan.
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
What a gorgeous collection and an amazing journey it has been on! @ullibrary.bsky.social youtu.be/WUnBO7NfJz0?...
youtu.be
Bolton Library Film Project
YouTube video by Diocese of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory Ireland
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The Library of Trinity College Dublin @tcdlibrary.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
TCD Library is recruiting a Senior Bibliographer to help catalogue the Fagel Collection! This is a fabulous professional opportunity to work on one of Europe's great early modern private libraries. Closing 10 March at noon. Full details available at www.tcd.ie/hr/vacancies
A selection of books form the Fagel Collection
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
The succession of the Roman Catholic bishops of Cloyne and Ross was not thrilling enough to take Miss Bourke off this dreamy annotator's mind... @nlireland.bsky.social is still as romantic as ever 🥰
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Bluesky debut for the most clever thing I ever thought of, and which I now share every year on #PancakeDay.
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The Edward Worth Library, Dublin @edwardworthlib.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
The Worth Library's Research Fellowships for 2026 have just been advertised. Find out more at edwardworthlibrary.ie/research-fel... Please repost! @bodleian.ox.ac.uk @cerl-community.bsky.social @britishlibrary.bsky.social @wellcometrust.bsky.social @harvard.edu
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Christian Algar @ceebarnacles.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Best pen trial ever. ‘Kiss my Arse’ On the endpapers of an 1700 edition of Terence’s comediae sex. #bookhistory #provenance
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
There is a wonderful exhibition on at Farmleigh at the moment until March - now is your chance to hear from the curator! All welcome to attend the lecture, not just LAI members! @marshslibrary.bsky.social AND a cataloguing course for rare books later in the month!
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Emma Rothwell @rothweeee.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Had a lovely evening at this launch of this book last night! Jacobites, prison escapes, and kidnapped princesses - what's not to love?
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Library of the Royal Irish Academy @rialibrary.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
For the weekend that's in it, why not read a Life of St Brigid, or, Betha Brigte. An Leabhar Breac (RIA MS 23 P 16) contains a copy of the Life on starting on p. 61. You can see the "incipit" (Latin for "beginning") outlined in red pigment here, with Brigte spilling over from one line onto another.
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Library of the Royal Irish Academy @rialibrary.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
The Manuscript of the Week is RIA MS B ii 1, Astronomical tract. It is based on a medieval Latin version of a work by Messahalah, a Jew of Alexandria who wrote in Arabic c. 815. The frontispiece is an astronomical rotula with a moveable index attached, illuminated with red and yellow pigment...
Ancient manuscript page showing a circular astronomical diagram with concentric rings and inscriptions. A rotating arm points outwards.
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Library of the Royal Irish Academy @rialibrary.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Hello Bluesky!
Ancient illustration of a mythical figure with intricate designs on a beige background. Bold text reads "WATCH THIS SPACE...".
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