McClelland Irish Library
Welcome to the McClelland Irish Library, located at 1106 North Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix, adjacent to the Irish Cultural Center, in the Margaret T. Hance Park. The three-story building houses 5,000 books from Irish authors and poets and genealogical research tools. It includes an ongoing exhibit of The Book of Kells plus several reading rooms and computer resources to access the library catalog and databases. The three-story building resembles a traditional 12th century Norman castle from the Emerald Isle.
Opening Hours
10am - 3pm: Tuesday - Saturday
10am - 7pm: Wednesdays
6pm - 9pm: First Fridays
Collections
The McClelland Irish Library (MIL) is an affiliate of the Phoenix Public Library (PPL) and our holdings can be accessed through their Public Access Catalog:
http://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org
Select the advanced search options “Adv. Search” in the blue bar at the upper far right. This takes you to the search screen for locating books and other material in the MIL Collection. Fill in the information about the book you want, then at the bottom of the screen, click “Location+” and then select “Irish Cultural Center” and Submit.
The MIL collection is a browsing research collection that you may visit during open hours. The collection does not circulate at this time. You may access PPL databases from the MIL with a PPL library card available from one of the library branches.
Frances McClelland Genealogy Research Centre
The library includes a genealogy research service on the second floor with how-to books, source books for Irish genealogical research, and Irish periodicals for researching your family. There are books on the various Irish counties and records of their citizens through time. The staff will offer help in researching your Irish ancestors.
Irish Boxing Exhibition, Jan 31 - May 31, 2013
Celebrating Celtic Prizefighters
1820 - Present
The Fighting Irishmen exhibition explores the contributions of Irish amateur and professional boxers over the last 200 years. The exhibition will feature an array of robes, gloves, boxing bags, prints, photographs, painting and film footage of Celtic prize-fighters from 1820 to the present day.
For more information, click here.
Admission
- $10 for General Public
- $5 for Seniors, Students and Children under 16
- Free to Library and Irish Cultural Center Members (donation requested)
Paving Stone Program
For a limited time only, you can purchase a personally engraved paving stone that will become part of the main library entrance!