Letter from Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. to Fr. Mark McDonnell OFM Cap. Guardian, Capuchin Friary, Church Street, Dublin. Fr. Dominic refers to the existence of archives relating to the early history of the Irish Province extant in the Capuchin General Archives in Rome. He wrote: ‘the opinion was growing stronger in my mind … as I was advancing in the MSS that there must be a report of the Commissary Provincial about date 1711 in our own Archives in Rome and possibly also in the Propaganda ones. Perhaps a copy may be found even in Milan as many manuscripts were sent the Historian General of the Order at one time’. With cover.
Letter from Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap., Brussels, to Fr. Paul Neary OFM Cap., St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin, regarding information found in continental archives regarding the early Irish Capuchins particularly in respect of Fr. Francis Nugent OFM Cap. With cover.
Letter from Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap., c/o Commandant, Kilmainham Prison, to Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap, asking that a breviary and other spiritual reading could be sent to him.
Letter from Fr. Luke Sheehan OFM Cap., Bend, Oregon, to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., describing the last hours of his nephew Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap.. He wrote: ‘Poor Dominic died rather unexpectedly. He had being ailing for a good many months, complained of a headache and more recently of dizzy spells and loss of memory’. The letter is incomplete.
Letter from Fr. William OFM Cap., Pantasaph Capuchin Friary, Holywell, North Wales, to Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., Provincial Minster, extending his sympathy on the loss of Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., ‘a brilliant member’ of the Irish community
Letter from George Noble Plunkett, 26 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin, to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., asking him to attend ‘an Assembly to make Ireland’s claim for liberty before the Peace Conference’.
Letter from Gertrude Parry, Shelbourne Hotel, to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., affirming that she has heard of his offer ‘from my friends the Gavan Duffys and Miss Eva Gore Booth’. She adds ‘You will not know my name but I am a cousin of Roger Casement and there are several matters I should like to talk to you about’.
Letter from Hanna Sheehy Skeffington to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., expressing her concern on hearing of his serious illness. She affirms that Fr. Albert’s name ‘is treasured by all who know you and who love Ireland and all dear dead who died for her. The widows and sisters of the men of 1916 whom you attended and consoled and of the later martyrs also will always remember you with affection’.
Letter from Henry O’Hanrahan, prisoner no. q. 150, Lewes Prison, to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. and Fr. Augustine Hayden OFM Cap., thanking the Capuchin fathers for their services during the Rising. He also refers to increasing clerical support for the republican cause. O’Hanrahan fought at Jacob’s Biscuit factory during the Rising. The letter reads: ‘Just a short note from an Irish felon to thank you both very much indeed for your many enquiries, for your words, and also for your many kindnesses to my dear mother and sisters. It will indeed be a while till we here, our friends, or Ireland forget what we owe to “Church St[reet]” – of course it did not and does not surprise some of us, even though we had not met some you till a very memorable Sunday. That indeed was a Sunday which we will all remember till we “surrender” to the God of Nations and I wonder what has He in store for our little country. Would we had some of your over here. … on that particular Sunday – the difference – but then in all her struggles religious and otherwise – Ireland’s friends were the [Religious] Orders. Thank God, from all we hear the young men of Maynooth etc. are “making good” and God knows its time. Now I know you are pretty conversant with our life etc. here and perhaps before you read this you will have seen or heard of [Gerard] Crofts who is next for invaliding and as I know you are both such friends and also that you are aware space (even in paper) with us is limited, you will excuse my coupling you in this short note’.
Letter from H.K. Greeaway, Governor of Wormwood Scrubs, to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., Church Street, indicating that Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. has been moved to Parkhurst Prison. He confirms that Fr. Aloysius’s letter and prayer book have been forwarded to the governor there.
