This subseries contains research into the ancestry and family history of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. Fr. Mathew was born in Thomastown Castle near Golden in County Tipperary in October 1790. His father James Mathew was steward on the Thomastown estate which belonged to his relative, Francis Mathew (1738-1806), who was created Earl Landaff in 1797. There is some uncertainty about the parentage of James Mathew. One account, repeated by Fr. Mathew himself, affirmed that he was the child of an undocumented second marriage of Lord Landaff’s great uncle, James Mathew of Borris. Another account, which enjoyed some currency at the time, suggested that he was the natural son of Earl Landaff’s father Thomas Mathew. The files include research notes, genealogical tables and other information relating to Mathew family history.
Date: [Place of publication not identified]; [publisher not identified], [189-?] Author: Murray Alexander Mathew Language: English Ink stamp on title page reads: ‘Capuchin Franciscan Fathers, Church Street'. Includes the ancestry of Arnold Harris Mathew and Appendix: 'The ancestors and relatives of the 1st Earl of Landaff’s mother, Mary Matthews ... by the Rev. Murray A. Matthew … and ancestry of Fr. Theobald Mathew'.
The sub-series includes research chronicling the life and temperance crusade of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. Much of the research focuses on narratives of Fr. Mathew’s campaign.
Author: Maire Ni Ćillin Publisher: Dublin: M.H. Gill and Son Ltd. Language: English The Irish Capuchin Archives holds both the 1913 and 1915 editions. Manuscript annotation on the 1913 edition reads: ‘Memory summons another picture of the Friars in the garb of brown … Maire Ni Ćillin’. One of the copies also has a manuscript dedication from the author to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap. on the fly-leaf.
VHS tapes containing recordings of a documentary (titled ‘Here goes, in the name of God!’) on the life and temperance campaign of Fr. Mathew produced by Icon Communications Ltd. for the bicentenary of his birth. The documentary ‘traces the story of Fr. Mathew and his crusade from 1838 until his death in 1856, and examines some of the works of the Capuchin friars today, as they follow in the footsteps of their single-minded and dedicated predecessor’.
Publisher: Dublin: P. Wogan Edition/Format: Third Edition Language: English Front cover has gilt engraving ‘Very Rev. T. Mathew’; The title page has a manuscript depiction of the Mathew family coat-of-arms with the initialed monogram of ‘TM’.
Publisher: New York: The United States Catholic Historical Society Language: English Format: Journal; 'Historical Records and Studies', vi, part 1 (Feb. 1911) has an article titled: ‘The temperance movement and Father Theobald Mathew’s visit to the United States, 1840-1851’. Ink stamp on title page reads: ‘Library OFM Cap., Church Street'.
‘History of the Temperance Reformation by James McKenna, chief travelling secretary to the Very Rev. Theobald Mathew’. The volume commences with a piece titled ‘National effects produced by temperance in Ireland; general decrease of crime taken from the assizes; returns, statements and testimony of judges; returns from the police officers; general decrease of disease and sick in hospitals and infirmaries …’. Returns from assizes and police officials are given from various parts of the country from 1839-41. The volume includes a large number of testimonials and addresses from various members of the aristocracy, landed gentry, politicians (including Daniel O’Connell), the clergy and other public figures referring to the beneficial effects of Fr. Mathew’s temperance crusade. With copy testimonials and letters from Lord Morpeth, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Lord Bishop of Norwich and other prominent individuals. The volume also includes articles and reflections on the history and progress of the temperance movement, pledge-taking statistics, and descriptions of Fr. Mathew’s meetings and rallies in cities, towns and villages all over Ireland. ‘A history of the temperance movement and progress in England’ by James McKenna is extant from pp 563-895. Copy testimonials, letters and addresses from England, Scotland, the United States and Canada are transcribed from pp 961-88. A comprehensive index to the volume is included from pp 987-1,005 pp.
James McKenna (d. 1846) played a key role in the founding of the Cork Total Abstinence Society (CTAS) in 1838. He also acted as Fr. Mathew’s principal travelling secretary during the early years of his campaign. McKenna made extensive efforts to publicise the movement through newspaper advertising, the printing of posters, pamphlets and handbills but the most comprehensive expression of his temperance philosophy is preserved in his manuscript history of the movement. McKenna kept his voluminous records of the CTAS’s progress in his 'History of the Temperance Reformation in Ireland, England and Scotland by James McKenna, Chief Travelling and Confidential Secretary to the Very Reverend Theobald Mathew'. This eclectic, meticulously hand-written collection of hundreds of outsized pages of transcribed material was woven together in McKenna’s own strident presentation. The text recorded very many of the activities connected Fr. Mathew’s temperance campaign from 1838 to 1846. McKenna intended to publish his account, as the definitive, triumphal and popular history of what seemed like a permanent social revolution. McKenna’s sudden death (in Cork in 1846), and the temperance crusade’s rapid retreat, likely combined to prevent the manuscript’s publication. Although of dubious literary merit, McKenna’s manuscript represents an extremely important source for Fr. Mathew’s temperance crusade. The text is preserved in the Irish Capuchin Archives.
Photocopies and notes compiled by Fr. Nessan Shaw OFM Cap. on illustrative works pertaining to Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. The file includes an index and photocopies of articles mostly taken from the pictorial supplements to 'The Capuchin Annual' covering various commemorations of Fr. Mathew.
