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Director of National Library
From 1997 to 2003, O’Donoghue was the Chief Director of the National Library of Ireland. By the time of his retirement, he had implemented longer opening hours in reading rooms, acquired a larger number of staff, formed links with other libraries around the country, and opened various exhibitions.

In 2002, O’Donoughue conducted the second biggest acquisition of material belonging to Irish writer James Joyce. Hundreds of notes, drafts and letters were purchased through a deal that was called by Síle de Valera–the Arts Minister at the time–as “a monumental event in Ireland’s literally and cultural history”. Among the collection was correspondence between Joyce’s friend Paul Léon, household accounts, drafts of Ulysses, personal notebooks and proofs for Finnegan’s Wake.

In 2003, in an effort to stop what he called the “haemorrhage” of Irish manuscripts in US libraries, O’Donoghue was gifted the letters and correspondence of Irish playwright Sean O’Casey from the writer’s family. Two years prior, in 2001, the Irish writer Brian Friel personally donated early drafts, notes and letters to other Irish writers (including Seamus Heaney) to the National Library. O’Donoghue described the gift as “priceless”.

Other Ventures
In conjunction with his role as Chief Director, O’Donoghue also split his time as a trustee at the Chester Beatty Library. He was often consulted with reports outlining the library’s progress with the development of their own exhibitions.

From 1997 to 2001, O’Donoghue was also the Director of Irish Architectural Archive. As director, he helped with the creation of the Dictionary of Irish Architects.

As writer, O’Donoghue has had three books published over a period of five years. His first publication in 2006, In Search of Fame and Fortune, outlines the history of the Leahy family; an Irish family of engineers who worked in Ireland and, later, internationally. His second book, The Irish County Surveyors, was published in 2007. In 2011, his third and final book, The Poetics of Homecoming, was published.

Until his death in 2019, O’Donoghue was also the chairman of the Royal Irish Academy’s editorial board.

Death
O’Donoghue was taken into the ICU of Blackrock Clinic, Dublin shortly before his death. On 4th of September 2019, he died there peacefully after a short illness. He was later buried at St. Colmcille’s Cemetary, Swords.