In November 1849 the leading citizens of Cork gathered to pay tribute to founder William Kelleher, librarian to the Cork Library in Pembroke St.

In November 1849 the leading citizens of Cork gathered to pay tribute to founder William Kelleher, librarian to the Cork Library in Pembroke Street, Secretary to the Mechanics' Institute of Cook St, Cork and the Scientific Institution of Nelson Place, Treasurer to the Scientific & Literary Society and, in the words of Major Beamish, the fons et origo of a great many organisations in Cork during the first half of the nineteenth century.

The Pembroke Street library had been established in 1790 and was the first of its kind in Cork city. It had a comprehensive collection of literature, atlases, maps and charts with reading rooms open from 11 AM to 4 PM in winter and until 5 PM in the summer.

Sir Thomas Deane at the November 1849 meeting declared that without William Kelleher's zeal and enthusiasm the British Association would never have come to Cork, and it was unlikely that the Queen's University would have been established in the city. A great slight had been done to William Kelleher when he was passed over by the Board of Nominations at the establishment of the university, but the presence at the meeting of such dignitaries as the Mayor, William Fagan MP, Abraham Abell, Nicholas Murphy and Denny Lane, among others, was testimony to the esteem in which he was held.

The meeting passed three motions: firstly expressing admiration for the work done by William Kelleher; secondly expressing the view that the populace in general should have an opportunity to show appreciation; and thirdly that a subscription be opened to demonstrate their appreciation of his life's work. A committee was elected to promote these objectives.

William Kelleher had been grievously ill, and died a week after the meeting, 172 years ago today on 22 November 1849.