Hermes was a literary journal for the staff and students of University College, Dublin. The first issue stated that the periodical "would not seek to be a semi-political organ of the student body, but would publish essays, poems, and reviews ... written either by the professors and students of the University or by their friends". The magazine also welcomed contributions from all the colleges of the Royal University, including the then Queen's Colleges in Belfast, Cork, and Galway.

The Shan Van Vocht was a national monthly magazine founded in 1896 by two Belfast women, Alice Milligan and Anna Johnston (later Anna MacManus) following their departure from another journal, the Northern Patriot. The Shan Van Vocht contained literature, poetry, historical articles, and political commentary, as well as news and events of various cultural and political societies. Poetry and prose in Irish were included, occasionally with an English translation. As the centenary commemorations of 1798 approached, many issues included articles, short stories, oral histories, and poetry relating to the United Irishmen’s rebellion. Alice Milligan is listed as the editor and Anna Johnston as the secretary in most issues, but in practice the two are believed to have acted as co-editors. Both women also wrote for the journal; Anna Johnston, often under the name ‘Ethna Carbery’, and Alice Milligan, sometimes under the name ‘Iris Olkyrn’. James Connolly, Douglas Hyde, and Arthur Griffith were among those who contributed to the Shan Van Vocht. The journal also featured writings by P. J. McCall, Lionel Johnson, T.W. Rolleston, John MacNeill, William Rooney, Michael Cusack, Thomas Concannon, Alice Furlong, Nora Hopper, and Seumas MacManus under the pen name ‘Mac’. In 1899 the Shan Van Vocht ceased publication and the subscription lists were transferred to Arthur Griffith’s United Irishman.

St. Stephen's was a University College Dublin magazine started in 1901. The contributors and editorial staff included names that would later become important figures in Irish literary, political, and educational circles. Initially edited by Hugh Kennedy, the magazine was subsequently edited by Felix Hackett, Thomas Kettle, Constantine Peter Curran, John Kennedy, and Francis Cruise O'Brien. Contributors were mainly staff and students of the University, among them James Joyce, Patrick Pearse, Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, George Sigerson, and Patrick J. Little. The magazine was issued monthly during term. The magazine ceased publication in May 1906, but was re-started in 1960. This collection covers the initial volumes from 1901-1906.

UCD News was an internal, informal publication for the staff and students of University College Dublin. It was published initially by the Information Officer and later by the Office of Public Affairs. The magazine's aim was to be an informal news magazine rather than an official publication - early issues state that the views expressed in were those of the editor and contributors and "did not necessarily reflect the views of the Governing Body, Academic Council, President or other officers of the College". Generally issues were published monthly with a summer, or graduate issue published over the summer months. A typical issue included: general news and notices from around the University; college club and society notices; sports news; correspondence; appointments and retirements. Profiles of individual Departments, Schools, or units were a regular feature as were official communications, such as reports from the Governing Body or addresses by the President at graduations. The summer issues in particular often contain an overview of developments, both physical and academic, within the University over the previous year as well as an interview with the President. Taken as a whole, this collection illustrates the physical growth of the Belfield campus, academic developments within the University, advancements in technology and work practices, and changes in the demographics of the student body, as well as documenting aspects of the wider higher education sector in Ireland.