Access Statement
The Building / Venue: NIVAL Reading Room, Clock Building, NCAD Campus
The National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL) is located on the ground floor of the Clock Building on NCAD Campus. The postal address is 100 Thomas St, Usher’s Quay, Dublin 8, D08 K521, Ireland.
NIVAL Opening Hours / When Can I Arrive?
We are open for appointments on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 5pm. If you are early for your appointment, you are welcome to wait in the Student Concourse. Please let us know if you will be late for your appointment or if you need to cancel. During summer months (June to August), we operate with shorter hours from 10am to 4pm.
Video Walkthrough
We have prepared a video walkthrough to show you how to find NIVAL from the main entrance to the NCAD campus.
We have also put together text-based instructions with photos if you would prefer to use these.
Text-based Instructions and Photographs
Step One: Enter NCAD Campus.
- You will know you have made it to NCAD campus when you can see the main entrance, which is a large archway with a bright blue door. On your left is the NCAD Gallery, which has a large transparent window.
- The main archway is depicted below using a red arrow.
- You can further be sure that you are at the main entrance by checking to see if there is a Tesco Express on the other side of the road, looking directly at our main entrance, as depicted below.
Step Two: Go through the main entrance under the archway and turn right.
- Walk through the main entrance, under the archway, and when you reach the end of the archway, turn right. The Attendants in the office opposite the archway may come out to ask if you need help with directions, which is standard protocol.
Step Three: Once you have gone under the archway and turned right, enter the glass building under the sign that says ‘The Concourse’.
- When you turn right, you will see an automatic sliding door into a glass building which contains tables and chairs. Walk into this building.
- After walking into the Student Concourse, immediately turn left so that you are facing another set of glass double doors. These lead to an outdoor courtyard. Go through these double doors.
Step Four: Walk through the courtyard.
- The path through the courtyard splits – you can walk straight down the path that is in front of you until you reach a covered archway and ramp. Turn right just before the walkway and you will see a single glass door. This is the entrance to NIVAL. This route does not have steps and is accessible.
- Alternatively, you can walk down the path on your right that crosses over the gravel of the courtyard. You will see a single glass door under the metal fire escape staircase. This is another entrance to NIVAL which does have steps.
Step Five: Open the door in front of you and continue to the NIVAL Reading Room. You have now arrived.
Parking
Ordinarily, NCAD does not offer parking on campus for visitors. However, if you require parking for an absolute need, please get in touch with nivalinfo@ncad.ie.
There are a small number of Pay & Display on-street parking spots available nearby but you may wish to use one of the private car parks below:
- Thomas Street Car Park (4-minute walk)
- Q-Park Four Courts (6-minute walk)
- Q-Park Christchurch (8-minute walk)
Transport Links
By Bus
Dublin Bus stops right outside using the 13, 123, G1, G2 and S2 routes.
NCAD campus is about a 13-minute walk from the Central Bank area on Dame Street which is serviced by a large number of buses from all around Dublin.
Train or Tram
The closest Luas station is Smithfield which is a 10-15 minute walk from the NCAD campus.
Smithfield is 4 stops from Heuston Station if you’re coming by an east-bound tram.
Smithfield is 4 stops from Connolly Station if you’re coming by a west-bound tram.
Active Travel / Biking / Showers / Drying Room
There are sheltered bike racks available on campus for those travelling by bike. You can find these located beside the Harry Clarke Lecture Theatre near the entrance to the campus (pictured below). NCAD does not accept responsibility for loss or damage to any personal belongings left unattended on campus.
Accessing shower / drying rooms
There are no shower and/or drying rooms available on campus for visitors.
Dress Code
There is no formal dress code to visit NIVAL. We welcome all kinds of dress and encourage you to wear what you will be most comfortable in. As an older building, the Clock Building can feel cooler than modern builds, even in summer months.
WiFi Access
For guests, access to WiFi is available through NCAD’s Guest Wifi. This will be facilitated on a case-by-case basis by NIVAL staff.
Eduroam
NCAD also hosts Eduroam WiFi for staff and students who have an Eduroam login. See further details.
Quiet Room & Welfare Rooms
There is a quiet room located near the Harry Clarke Lecture Theatre that you may access if needed. This quiet room is located in the Admin Building on NCAD Campus. NIVAL staff will guide you to this space on request. Please note that the Admin Building has a step access for its main door.
The room can be indicated to be occupied using the sign on the front of the door. The door is not lockable. There is a window into the room but this can be covered using a privacy screen.
The quiet room features sensory toys / fidget toys, sensory lights, electricity sockets, a space heater, blankets, a rocking chair and soft mats for the ground. The light switch for the room is located on the wall on the outside of the Quiet Room to your left. It is a flick light switch and has no knobs or dimmers.
Breastfeeding, Chestfeeding, & Expressing
There are no dedicated breastfeeding / chestfeeding / expressing rooms on NCAD Campus. However, you are welcome to use the Quiet Room. There are no fridges in the Quiet Room.
Food / Shops
The Goodies is the campus café and offers a range of sandwiches and hot meals during term time. They are located in the basement of the Student Concourse. There is a staircase to the café next to the Students’ Union and an accessible lift can be operated with a key held by the Attendants in the security office.
There is a Tesco Express and a Centra located opposite the entrance from the NCAD campus and a Lidl two minutes’ walk down Thomas Street if you turn right when you leave the campus. There is an array of fast food takeaways and restaurants along Thomas Street and Meath Street as well.
Bathroom & Shower Facilities
As you walk through the Student Concourse to reach NIVAL, you will pass male and female bathrooms which also include accessible stalls. Both bathrooms provide period products.
There is a single stall, all-gender, accessible bathroom located on the ground floor of Harry Clarke House in the foyer of the NCAD Gallery. This is a one-minute walk from NIVAL.
There is an all-gender bathroom on the third floor of the Granary Building, which is a one-minute walk from NIVAL.
Prayer Room Facilities
There are no dedicated prayer rooms available on NCAD Campus. You may wish to use the Quiet Room in the Admin Building for prayer. Please note, this room does not have any sink facilities.
Sign Language Interpretation
If you require ISL, please contact nivalinfo@ncad.ie for further information.
Further Accessibility Information
Contact Ruth Hallinan, Assistant Manager, via nivalinfo@ncad.ie with any further queries.
Need assistance?
If you have any feedback or need any further assistance with accessing our website, please email nivalinfo@ncad.ie.
Credit to Dean O’Reilly, Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion + Sexual Violence Prevention / Response Manager, NCAD, for the development of this Access Statement.