A reception at the National Library of Ireland (NLI) to mark the acquisition of a significant number of manuscripts from the family of WB Yeats were Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys (right), Dr. Sandra Collins (left), Director of the National Library of Ireland, and Caitríona Yeats, granddaughter of WB Yeats. The highlight of the new acquisition is a collection of letters to WB Yeats from James Joyce that span almost 24 years of correspondence and illuminate a deep literary friendship. The correspondence includes 10 signed letters and a postcard. The acquisition also features the 'Dream Diary' of Yeats's wife George, and the Yeats family library, which will join WB Yeats's personal library, already held by the NLI. The acquisition of the manuscripts was made possible through the approval of extra funding of more than €500,000 to the NLI, announced by Minister Humphreys today. For more information, visit www.nli.ie. PHOTO: Mark Stedman
{}