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A letter from Eoin MacNeill (1867-1945) to Fr. Henry Rope. MacNeill argues that Roger Casement was 'remarkably sane and well balanced' and affirms that he had 'no opportunity of consulting with him' as he was in America when war broke out. MacNeill also refers to his Irish history scholarship and to his work as chairman of the Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Letters from Mary MacSwiney (Máire Nic Shuibhne, 1872-1942) to Fr. Henry Rope. Two of the letters are copies (Rope notes that the copies were made in 1947 and that he deposited the originals in the archives of the Pontifical Irish College in Rome). One of the copy letters (dated 21 Nov. 1922) refers to Mary MacSwiney’s treatment by the Free State authorities. It reads ‘The hardest part of my trial here is being deprived of the Sacraments as I have not succeeded in finding a priest who will be satisfied to hear the confession of my sins and let my political convictions alone’. The original letter (26 Oct. 1930) refers to the ‘terrible airship disaster’ involving R 101, a British rigid airship. The disaster claimed the lives of forty-eight of the fifty-four people on board including Fr. Henry Rope’s younger brother, Squadron Leader Frederick Michael Rope.

Letters from George Noble Plunkett (1851-1948), 40 Elgin Road, Dublin, to Fr. Henry Rope. The letters include references to Plunkett’s desire to establish an ‘Academy of Christian Art’ in Dublin, Catholic literature, Father Rope’s visits to the Plunkett residence, and to contemporary political matters and public affairs in both Britain and Ireland. A recurring theme in the correspondence is Plunkett’s continuing republican opposition to the post-Treaty settlement in Ireland. An extract from a letter
written on 21 November 1929 reads:

‘I don’t want to write about politics, but I remind you that “if you want peace, you must prepare for war”; and, that a resolute nation, whose spokesmen refuse to accept threats, generally secures its liberty. We had won, when [Arthur] Griffith and [Michael] Collins surrendered: I have been assured of this by well informed unionists. I doubt that any man today is slave enough to echo John O’Connell’s dictum. “Nuff ced”, as the Yankees put it.
I think you asked me why we are for a Republic. Well, how otherwise could we get rid of a foreign King? And a “class” Upper House”? And the tradition of Heaven-born Ministers? We are republicans because we are a nation of aristocrats, and so all equal; a true democracy.
My pen is running dry.
Yours very sincerely,
G.N. Count Plunkett
To be continued in our next’.

The file also includes some letters from George Noble Plunkett’s wife (Josephine Plunkett née Cranny), and daughter Mary Plunkett. The letter from Mary Plunkett refers to the death of Count Plunkett. It reads ‘The poor old man was in bed for more than three years. We expected that he would go very quickly. Instead of that he was dying for twelve days. The poor old body was worn out, but that strong valiant spirit held on. He suffered a lot, so much that we prayed that God would take him. The end was very quiet’. (5 May 1948). A letter to Fr. Senan Moynihan from Fr. Henry Rope in this file refers to his donation of Plunkett's correspondence ‘for your Archives, which may also one day be of historical interest’. He also notes that he has given some of his correspondence with Count Plunkett to Saint Isidore’s College in Rome. (20 Dec. 1951)

Letter from Barry M. Egan (1879-1954), 32 Patrick Street, Cork, to Fr. Henry Rope. Egan refers to the murder of Tomás Mac Curtain and provides a commentary on the ongoing independence struggle.

Two letters to Germaine Stockley re the treatment of female republican prisoners. One of the letters is from Mary MacSwiney (Máire Nic Shuibhne). The letter refers to the release of her sister Annie MacSwiney from prison. She writes ‘I know how glad and happy you are about Annie’s release. She is getting on well but more slowly than I should like. The doctor says she must take great care for some time. Of course, she is not long out yet’. She also refers to a raid on her house and the imprisonment of other republican women.

Letters from Fr. Henry Rope, Venerable English College, Rome, and Mount Carmel Lodge, Quidenham, Norwich, to Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. Rope affirms that he has ‘searched everywhere for the letters of Count Plunkett. He promises that he will send the same to Fr. Senan once he has retrieved them. He also confirms that he will send the letters written to him by Professor William Frederick Paul Stockley and his wife Germaine. He notes that he had ‘the great privilege of being their guest in October or November 1927 at Woodside, Tivoli, Cork’. He also refers to some letters of Professor William Stockley which he suggests Fr. Senan might like for the Capuchin Order’s archives. The file also includes a partial (two-page) listing of some of Father Rope's material deposited in the Irish Capuchin Archives.