Subsérie 8 - Father Mathew Feis ('Feis an t-Athair Maitiú') Dublin

9 items, 57 files and 31 artefacts; Manuscript, typescript, printed and newspaper

The 'Feis Maitiú' was established in 1909 by Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., who saw the need for a festival to encourage people interested in preserving Irish culture and language. The programme for the annual Feiseanna gradually expanded to include competitions for singing, instrumental music, speech and drama, in both English and Irish. The collection consists of organizational records and promotional materials which document the activities of the Father Mathew Feis from its inception. Correspondence and financial records document the development of the Feis, while other records such as competition results, photographs, posters and fliers primarily document competition productions and performances.

See also 'The Father Mathew Record', a monthly periodical, for additional material relating to the 'Feis Maitiú'. 'The Father Mathew Record', like its sister publication, 'The Capuchin Annual', was published by the Irish Capuchin Franciscans. The 'Record' (as it was commonly called) began publication in January 1908 and was edited by Father Aloysius Travers OFM. Cap., who hoped that it would ‘afford opportunity of recording month by month, the efforts made by the Father Mathew Total Abstinence Association and the Father Mathew Hall to advance the sacred cause’. In the early years of its run, the publication included extensive coverage of the annual Feis. In March 1930, Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. was appointed editor. Under Fr. Senan, the 'Record' increased the amount of coverage of overseas missions established by the Irish Capuchins, and by 1934 the publication’s circulation had increased to 12,000 copies a month. By this point, the 'Record' had largely ceased its promotion of temperance and extensive reporting of the annual 'Feis Maitiú' no longer figured prominently. The 'Record' was renamed 'Eirigh' in January 1968 (Vol. 60, No. 1) when Fr. Donal O’Mahony OFM Cap. assumed the editorship. The final edition of 'Eirigh' appeared in December 1973 (Vol. 71, No. 12).

For an 'Irish Independent' report on the 1918 'Feis Maitiú' in Dublin see https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/first-feis-of-the-season-a-success-in-father-mathew-hall