First established in the 18th century by a Church of Ireland Archbishop, Theophilis Bolton, the grandson of Richard Bolton, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, the library was built for his convenience just opposite his residence. Following his death, he bequeathed his rare collection of 11,000 literary works to the diocese.
This unique collection contains works that cover the whole breadth of human knowledge for the previous 2,500 years, including books by Plato, Dante and Homer, as well as countless histories, essays and pamphlets.
The collection is housed in the Chapter House of the Cathedral of St. John, close to the historic Rock of Cashel, and has been taken into state care by the Office of Public Works to preserve for future generations. It’s now managed jointly by the OPW and University of Limerick.
The collection in the Bolton Library contains some extremely rare books, and is unusual in its size and scale. For lovers of literature, knowledge and history, the Bolton Library provides a rare opportunity to glimpse some of mankind’s greatest intellectual achievements all in one place.
Cashel is situated a short distance away from the city of Limerick, with the Bolton Library and Rock of Cashel together making a fascinating day out.
