We are all deeply saddened here at the Lilliput Press to hear of the passing of our former National Library of Ireland colleague, Gerry Lyne. Gerry was a great friend of the press and was the life and soul of Lilliput’s Christmas parties.

He was the former Keeper of Manuscripts and retired in 2009 after having worked at the NLI for more than thirty-six years.

Originally from Kerry, Gerry went to the Cistercian college, Mount St Joseph’s in Roscrea, before earning his masters in History at University College Dublin. Always interested in the arts, Gerry began his working life as a teacher in London and then moved on to a position as a sub-editor with The Irish Times.

He joined the NLI in 1973 as a surveyor and later obtained the post of Surveyor of Manuscripts. In 2003, he was appointed Keeper of Manuscripts and also held the position of Honorary Secretary of the NLI for seven years.

Gerry worked tirelessly to identify and preserve important manuscripts and aided the library in acquiring important literary papers such as those of Roddy Doyle, Paul Durcan, Colm Tóibín and the papers of Senator David Norris. In addition he also contributed to the Irish Queer Archive and the literary archive of John Montague.

One of his most notable achievements was his championing of the legacy of Roger Casement, having worked closely with both Seamus O’ Siochain and Angus Mitchell on their respective biographies of Casement.

We mourn the passing of Gerry, a true free spirit and fellow bibliophile, and salute his achievements.