Notebook belonging to Fr. Columbus Murphy OFM Cap. detailing the monies received from rebels who occupied the Four Courts during the Rising. An annotation on the inside cover reads: ‘The following is a list of the money I got from the boys at the Four Courts. Also the receipts the different people who came afterwards to claim them. Fr. Columbus Murphy’. Most of the (penciled) entries refer to personal belongings given to Fr. Columbus for safekeeping by various rebels and to monies and effects later distributed to relations by the Capuchin priest. Entry on page 4 reads: ‘Received three cheques from Fr. Columbus with thanks. June 29th, [19]16, Mrs Mellows. Gave two cheques and one lodgement order. Fr. Columbus’.
Notebook belonging to Martin Savage, Irish Volunteer. The annotation on the first page reads: ‘This book belongs to Martin Savage. I [Fr. Columbus Murphy OFM Cap.] got it from him at Richmond Barracks. It contained a list of the names and addresses of all the Volunteers of his company. I tore them out and burned them. Fr. Columbus’. A later note reads: ‘He [Savage] was subsequently killed in the attack on Lord French. Fr. C.’. The notebook also contains thirteen black and white portrait photographs of unidentified individuals and groups. Three of these photographs can be positively identified as Martin Savage. The other photographs may be of his relations. Some of the photographs have a printed company stamp on the reverse: ‘The Franco Art Co., Grafton Studios, 111 Grafton St. … Dublin’.
The note reads: ‘Dear Mother, we had to surrender so we march to Phoneix [sic] Park, don’t forget to pray us’. A partially decipherable name and address is given on the reverse: ‘Matthew [ ], 12 Great Longford St, Dublin, off Aungier St.’ The item was found within an envelope annotated: ‘Farewell letter to His mother of a soldier of the I.R.A. who fought for Ireland in the Rising of Easter Week, 1916’.
Note from Military Headquarters, Parkgate Street, to Dublin Metropolitan Police. The note reads: ‘Please tell the Franciscan Fathers at Church Street that the two men they wish to see at Kilmainham Detention Prison should be seen by them tonight’. Printed heading reads: ‘Dublin Metropolitan Police Telephone’. Patrick Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh and Thomas J. Clarke were executed on the morning of 3 May
Note from C. Burgess [Cathal Brugha], Dublin Castle Hospital, to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., Franciscan Capuchin Church, Church St. It reads: ‘I should be obliged if you dropped in here any time tomorrow or Friday to hear my confession. As there has been a new regulation made here with regard to the admission of the clergy it might be as well if you brought this card with you’. During the Rising Brugha was severely wounded by a hand grenade, as well as by multiple gunshot wounds, and was initially not considered likely to survive. He recovered over the next year, but was left with a permanent limp.
An Anti-Treaty handbill. The text reads: ‘It has been said that the Irish people are guilty of the blood shed by the firing squads, because the executions were carried out in their name ... This is not true ... when the time comes, they will repudiate the responsibility for the blood. Guiltiness and The shame, by turning down the men who falsely used their name as a cover for these horrible deeds. Printed in Manchester by Whiteley & Wright. Titled ‘No. 1’ in a series.
A large collection of newspapers, broadsheets and daily bulletins relating to the independence struggle. The republican newspapers, publicity material and political ephemera collected by the Irish Capuchins are particularly important as they cover a broad spectrum of nationalist political debate. A good number of the Irish Capuchins were privately sympathetic to the republican side and maintained close contacts with many prominent Anti-Treaty figures. Many of the republican newspapers and bulletins accumulated by the friars covered the day-to-day conduct of the Civil War and contain information not found elsewhere in the contemporary press since the daily newspaper titles published little or nothing originating from the Anti-Treaty side.
Copies of the 'Irish Independent' and 'Irish Times' carrying reports referring to the court martial of Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. He was arrested following a raid on the Church Street Friary in Dublin in January 1921. He was court martialled in Kilmainham Jail and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment but was released the following year under the terms of a general amnesty following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
The file includes the following editions from mainly national newspapers reporting on the Rising and on subsequent events: 'Cork Examiner', 24 June 1916 'Irish Weekly Independent', 29 Apr. & 6 May & 13 May 1916 'Weekly Irish Times', 29 Apr. & 13 May 1916 'Irish Times', 18 Apr.-1 May 1916; 12 May 1916 (p. 5 only) 'Saturday Herald', 27 May 1916 'Cork Examiner', 6 May 1916 'Freeman’s Journal', 11-13 May 1916; 2 June 1916 (13 May 1916 has pp 5-8 only). 'Irish Independent', 15 May 1916
Newspaper cuttings book compiled and annotated by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. Printed stamp on inside front cover: ‘Franciscan Capuchin Library, Church Street, Dublin’. The pages have been numbered by Fr. Stanislaus. The book includes on pp 71-82; 86-92; 97-100; 123-124 numerous cuttings reporting on the 1916 Rising and its aftermath. Some of the reports refer to Fr. Augustine Hayden OFM Cap. and his ministering to Con Colbert.
