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Later Career and Death

The pinnacle of Michael Hewson's career came with his promotion to director of the National Library of Ireland in 1982, when the previous director Alf Mac Lochlainn left the Library for the University of Galway. He also became the Honorary Secretary of the National Library of Ireland Society for a year, handing the position over to Dònall Ò Lùanaigh in 1983.

Unfortunately for Hewson, his directorship coincided with the most difficult time in the Library's history. In 1986, the Irish government decided to change the department responsible for the National Library from the department of education to first the Taoiseach’s department and then the Department of Arts and Culture, now known as the Department on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media .This resulted in issues with funding, leading to minimised staffing and shorter library hours.

The 1980’s was a time of economic crisis in Ireland. The shift of the National Library’s funding from the Taioseach’s department to the Department of Arts and Culture meant that its funding decreased to the point where the National Library Society filed a motion with the Taioseach in order for it to provide its accustomed high standard of scholarly services.

Though overshadowed by the economic crisis, there were some highlights during Hewson’s directorship. One such highlight was in 1985. W.B. Yeats’ son Michael donated a collection of 1,000 of his father’s writings to the Library.

Hewson retired from the National Library in 1989, handing off the directorship to Dr. Patricia Donlon.

Michael Hewson died on Monday, February 3rd, 1992. His death was unexpected and came only four years after his retirement from the National Library. He had continued to visit the Library as a reader, including the Saturday before he died.

He was buried in Dardistown Cemetery, Dardistown, Dublin that had opened a couple years prior in west Dublin. His gravestone reads "In Loving Memory of Michael Hewson, Glasnevin Park, Died 3rd Feb 1992".