MoLI’s opening saw the unveiling of our newly landscaped Courtyard and Readers Gardens. The gardens contain two protected trees, most notably the ash tree that James Joyce had his graduation photograph taken against, and a beautiful Killarney Strawberry tree. We hope that the gardens will continue to be a place of reading, learning and gentle enjoyment of nature. 

Our gardens also connect to the Iveagh Gardens, sometimes called Dublin’s ‘Secret Garden’, another wonderful place to relax in the city whilst being only a few minutes walk from Grafton Street. MoLI is not just a museum, it is an incredible green space in the heart of the city.

In the video below, spring comes to MoLI’s Readers Garden during lockdown, with Moya Cannon’s beautiful poem, ‘Pollen’ (from Carrying the Songs, Carcanet, 2007) read by the poet.