Star-studded RTÉ documentary airs on the Old Library and Library Collections
Posted on: 15 July 2026
In the first episode Ruth Negga returns to campus to meet with Trinity’s Librarian and College Archivist Helen Shenton and to explore some of the literary treasures to be found within the university’s literature, poetry and theatre collections.
As it undergoes its first major renovation in over 300 years, Trinity’s Old Library stars alongside three famous alumni in a new documentary airing shortly called ‘Trinity’s Treasures’.
Oscar-nominated actor and producer Ruth Negga, renowned singer songwriter Eleanor McEvoy and retired senator and civil rights activist David Norris meet Trinity’s librarians, archivists, curators and conservators who are responsible for some of the world’s greatest collections of manuscripts, printed books and historic artefacts.
The documentary is filmed in the Old Library and is framed in the overall context of the Old Library Redevelopment Project.
In the first episode Ruth Negga (below) returns to campus to meet with Trinity’s Librarian and College Archivist Helen Shenton and to explore some of the literary treasures to be found within the university’s literature, poetry and theatre collections.
The first episode will be broadcast on RTÉ 1 Television on Friday 17th July, 2026, (20:30-21:00) featuring Ruth Negga. The subsequent episodes will be broadcast on Friday 24th July (20:30-21:00) featuring Eleanor McEvoy and Friday 31st July, with David Norris (20:30-21:00).
The series was produced by New Decade TV Ltd.
Ruth Negga is brought behind the scenes to look through some of the unique pieces from the Library’s Collections of Irish literary icon, Samuel Beckett. The Beckett correspondence and notebooks offer a detailed understanding of the complex workings of this creative genius, along with an intimate insight into his day-to-day existence and the background to his generous donation to the Library itself. Other works are shown by Assistant Librarian, Shane Mawe including Shakespeare’s First Folio and an array of stunning manuscripts by Manuscripts Curator, Estelle Gittins (above on left).
Ruth meets young drama students in the College who perform selected scenes from the works of William Shakespeare and John Millington Synge. She encounters early drafts of Synge’s ‘Playboy of the Western World’ which she performed so memorably on the London stage and explores his relationship with the young actor Molly Allgood who influenced his work so deeply.
She also makes a return to her drama department where she looks back on her student days in the College.
Ruth Negga said: "I love books, I love words, I love plays. [For Trinity to create] a guided personal tour of some of the works that I have personally performed in and admire and the writers that I admire, I mean, that's such an honour.
After this day, I feel full, with language and lovely words and, oh, such gratitude for being allowed to be near all those things. [It was] just such a treat to see the physical manifestation of the work of people I admire so much and whose words I have spoken on stages. It's just magical.
Art is political because it's essentially documenting people's response to the world in time. I think that's important, that documentation, to feel and also to feel like we're not just alone. We have ancestors, you know, that we are have been bequeathed all this, this great knowledge and profundity, and we must mind it for the next generations, you know."
The Librarian and College Archivist, Helen Shenton, added: “From the brilliance of medieval manuscripts and the inspirational writings of towering literary figures, to the resounding power of modern archives and printed works, viewers will have unprecedented access to the Library and its collections through the eyes of Trinity’s wonderful alumni Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy and David Norris. In conversation with Library staff they will explore their significance to society and the very human stories behind them. As stewards of the Old Library, it is so important that this beautiful 18th century national heritage building and its unique collections continue to inspire and reach new audiences which we very much hope to do through this documentary.”
Prof. Eoin O'Sullivan, Project Sponsor at Trinity for the Old Library Redevelopment Project, welcomed the documentary: "The Old Library at Trinity is an extraordinarily beautiful and intellectually rich place, stunning even to those of us who are lucky enough to visit it regularly, so I am really pleased that some of its many treasures are being explored before a TV audience.
It's a reminder, once again of how important it is for Trinity to address the conservation and environmental challenges which the Old Library faces. We are currently in the process of modernising the environmental control and fire protection measures at this building, safeguarding it to ensure future generations can continue to experience it.
Thank you to everyone at Trinity who worked to make this documentary series happen, to the Library staff, the Librarian and College Archivist Helen Shenton, to Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy and David Norris as well as to New Decade and RTE."
In Episode Two, best-selling artist Eleanor McEvoy (above) explores the gems of the music collections in the university. Eleanor meets with music librarian Roy Stanley who has been a custodian of composer Ina Boyle’s (1889-1967) manuscripts collections that have helped establish her reputation many years after her passing.
Irish traditional music features across the printed collections, such as the James Goodman Collection (1828-1896) which preserves traditional music and song from the Munster area in pre-Famine times. Eleanor meets musicians who perform tunes from the collection that were nearly lost to time. In the stunning Long Room of the Old Library, Eleanor performs music from the collection of Thomas Moore and she visits old classmates who are still singing in the university’s Chapel Choir.
In Episode Three, former senator and civil rights activist David Norris (below, centre) revisits his alma mater and looks at the collections that have helped shape Ireland from a political and societal perspective.
David meets Manuscripts Curator, Dr Jane Maxwell, who shows him highlights from the medieval manuscripts collection which contains some of the earliest records, histories and chronologies documenting the evolution of Irish society from the early medieval period. David is shown some of the earliest surviving legal documents in Irish history, relating to Brehon Laws. Other highlights include the archives of the founder of the Irish National Land League, Michael Davitt, former Health Minister and Senator, Noël Browne, and physcian Dorothy Price among others.
Librarian and College Archivist Helen Shenton speaks about the Library’s mission to “collect the now” − and we have the opportunity to see the work of the Library in action as Nelofer Pazira-Fisk Afghan-Canadian author, journalist and filmmaker and wife of the late journalist Robert Fisk discusses the plans for his archive spanning 50 years of journalism to be donated to the Library.
The Library gratefully acknowledges the philanthropic support for this documentary from Andrew Carnegie Foundation, formerly Carnegie Corporation of New York.
The Library of Trinity College Dublin also gratefully acknowledges the support for this documentary project provided by a grant from Trinity Trust.
ENDS