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Legacy
Alf MacLochlainn’s legacy survives largely through the contributions he made in literary; political; and cultural movements throughout his lifetime.

The accessions made during his time as Director of the National Library of Ireland serve as lasting evidence of his contributions to academic and cultural preservation in Ireland. One novel accession was a letter addressed to MacLochlainn from Proinsias Ó’Conluain, Irish broadcaster and journalist, which included a donation of a postcard from Irish writer Brendan Behan. This and other such manuscripts can be viewed in the National Library of Ireland's various Reading Rooms. Before serving as Director of the Library, Alf was assistant keeper of manuscripts and was noted as having 'a genuine love for the Library's collections'. MacLochlainn also published a pamphlet entitled Writers, Raconteurs and Notable Feminists: Two Monographs , based on a lecture given by Andrée Sheehy-Skeffington at the library. This pamphlet was later presented to President Mary Robinson at Áras an Uachtaráin in July 1994.

Alf contributed to many journals and journal articles on topics surrounding Irish culture. He also, notably, contributed often through the Irish language. He was deeply involved with the Irish Labour Party, receiving a long-service award in 2007, and writing articles for Saothar, a journal created by the Irish Labour History Society. He was also a member of the Galway Labour History Group.

Alf was a lyricist and many of his songs, poems, and ballads are available to view in the National Library of Ireland's collections. A performance of his song My Son in Americay by his son Colm MacLochlainn can be found on YouTube.

Alf's works of fiction contribute to his lasting legacy. These include Out of Focus (1985), The Corpus in the Library: Stories and Novellas (1996), Past Habitual: Stories (2015).

Alf’s achievements are remembered fondly in an article published in the obituaries section of the Irish Times.