The Curious Case of the Mayo Librarian

The Curious Case of the Mayo Librarian

In July 1930 Miss Letitia Dunbar Harrison's appointment as Mayo County Librarian set in motion a chain of events that resulted in a full scale political crisis. Mayo priests and politicians attempted to have her removed, and organized an effective boycott of the Library Service. 'The Mayo library row," as it was commonly known, became news far outside the confines of the county. Looking at the background to the dispute uncovers many of the fault-lines of the newly formed Free State. Examining the anatomy of the crisis lays bare the tensions of society in 1930s Ireland as it moved away from colonial rule.