Don't give up!
Here are some additional resources to try when Google or the Liberties Archive don't have the answer:
Books
Please order the below through your local bookseller or library
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Fashion
British and Irish Home Arts and Industries 1880-1914 - Janice Helland
Vicereines of Ireland - Myles Campbell
Some Irish Fashions and Fabrics c. 1775-1928 - Mairéad Reynolds
Dress in Ireland - Mariead Dunlevy
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Textiles
The Cambridge History of Western Textiles - Edited by Jenkins
Pomp and Poverty: A History of Silk in Ireland - Mairéad Dunlevy
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Lace
Youghal Lace, the Craft and the Cream - Pat Earnshaw
Clones Lace - Maire Treanor
Early History of Irish Crochet - Barbara Ballantyne
Mademoiselle Riego and Irish Crochet Lace - Barbara Ballantyne
Irish Crochet Lace in the Nineteeth Century - Barbara Ballantyne
Irish Crochet Lace in Austria and France - Barbara Ballantyne
World Wide Web
Archive.org - A great resource for out of date publications. Our favourites include: The Dublin Pictorial Guide and Directory of 1850, and the illustrated record and descriptive catalogue of the Dublin international exhibition of 1865.
The British Newspaper Archive - A subscription service, but may be available at your local library. Great for primary source material, and one of the main resources we use for events and individuals.
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Museums
National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History - no searchable online database, but they have a permanent display of garments + textiles.
The Hunt Museum - Limerick Museum with a searchable online database. AMAZING collection of Sybil Connolly dresses.
Clones Lace Museum - Small but lovely museum with a great collection of historic Clones lace (Irish crochet) and related ephemera.
Kenmare Lace and Design Centre- Collection of antique laces from the Convent of the Poor Clares Kenmare, occasional demonstrations and classes.
Limerick Museum - large collection of antique Limerick lace
Powerhouse Museum - an Australian museum with an online collection database that includes some great examples of Irish-made historic clothing.
The Met Museum - An American museum with an easily searchable collection database
The Victoria and Albert Museum - A British Museum with a searchable collection database.
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Podcasts
Dublin's Historic South - Host Laura Fitzachary - we LOVE season 2, episode III on the Liberties! Many episodes delve into the textile history of Dublin.
Blúiríní Béaloidis Folklore Podcast - no episodes are textile related (yet), but a great podcast on Irish Folk tradition.