Princess Grace Irish Library

A cultural gem located in the Principality of Monaco, minutes from the palace, the Princess Grace Irish Library was inaugurated on 20th November 1984 by Prince Rainier III as a tribute to the attachment his wife Princess Grace (1929 1982), felt for her Irish origins. Her grandfather John Kelly was born in County Mayo in 1847 during the Great Famine and he emigrated to the USA in 1867. The library is a short walk from the Palace and we are fortunate to enjoy the generous patronage of the Prince. His Serene Highness attends our annual St Patrick’s Day celebration and special events such as our 40th anniversary on 20th November 2024, which was marked by the publication of a commemorative book - a retrospective about the library and about Princess Grace through the eyes of her family, friends and those who crossed her various paths in her role. It explores the attachment to Ireland and its culture, of the Princess which she transmitted to her son H.S.H Prince Albert II and his family. The library showcases the many visits to Ireland, including the state visit in 1961 by Prince Rainier III, which was the first ever visit by any head of state to Ireland, since the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922. The library houses a signed book gifted by President Éamon De Valera during that visit to Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, as well as photos of this unprecedented occasion in 1961, a green marble coffret from the Kelly family as well as the 19th century silver virgin font, a gift from the Princess to Sinéad De Valera, which was returned to Monaco by Dr Michael Smurfit, former Honorary Consul of Ireland in Monaco (1988-2025). A limited-edition facsimile of The Book of Kells and a painting by Jack Yeats were also donated by Dr Smurfit and are on permanent display. Other treasures at the library include a rare first edition copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses (1922) and the Louis le Brocquy portraits. Many celebrated and emerging Irish authors have given talks here and their signed works are available to be borrowed. In 2002, Colum McCann was awarded The Ireland Funds Monaco Literary Award in Memory of Princess Grace. The Ireland Funds Monaco Bursaries were established to enable literary and academic writers to pursue a current project during a one-month residency at the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco in the spring and autumn. We have a rich cultural programme, inspired by Princess Grace’s personal collections of Irish books acquired from Count Gerald O’Kelly’s estate and Irish-American song sheets collected by Michael O’Donnell. Each year our theme changes to keep events dynamic and to showcase Ireland's best modern-day writers, poets, playwrights, film producers and musicians. Membership is international given the profile of Monaco and we serve the Anglophone community as we are the only English-language library/cultural centre in the Principality as well as people of all nationalities who are passionate about Irish literature and Ireland’s history and culture. Of course we are also a hub for Irish people living in the region (including the French & Italian Rivieras).