Trinity College Dublin “denames” Berkeley Library due to founder’s association with slavery

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has made the decision to remove the name of the Berkeley Library due to the founder’s connection to slavery. The library was named after George Berkeley, a Kilkenny man who bought and sold slaves on his Rhode Island estate and produced a pamphlet suggesting that slaves should be baptized for greater obedience. Trinity College Dublin will “dename” the library but retain and explain a stained-glass window commemorating Berkeley. This decision followed the Black Lives Matter movement, which drew attention to the legacy of transatlantic slavery. The Trinity Legacies Review Working Group agreed that it was no longer acceptable to name the library Berkeley. Trinity’s Provost Dr. Linda Doyle expressed that while Berkeley’s contribution to philosophical thought is not in question, his connection to slavery and racial discrimination is in conflict with Trinity’s core values. A separate process will determine the new name for the library.