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The sub-series contains records relating to legal issues arising out of the management of Father Mathew Hall, Church Street, Dublin. The records specifically relate to the transfer of ownership of the Hall from elected trustees of the temperance sodality to the Capuchin Franciscan Order. This process was complicated by the legal guarantees required to ‘ensure that the purpose for which the property was acquired, and the Hall originally built would be maintained’. Other issues include negotiations with the representatives of the Merchant Tailors’ School, the original owners of the ground at 131-5 Church Street upon which the Hall was built and with the tenants of cottages on Bow Street and Nicholas Avenue who rented their properties from the Hall trustees.

Correspondence of Fr. Columbus Murphy OFM Cap., President, Father Mathew Hall, with Valentine Miley, solicitor, 12 South Frederick Street, Dublin, regarding the appointment of legal trustees for the Hall property. The file includes copy notices sent by Fr. Columbus to committee members regarding the amendment needed to the ‘General rule of the Father Mathew Hall OSFC and the “Sacred Thirst” Branch of St. Patrick’s Branch League of the Cross’. With solicitor costs for the completion of a deed assignment for the appointment of a new committee and trustees.

Letter to Fr. Columbus Maher OSFC from Walter Glynn Doolin, architect and civil engineer, 20 Ely Place, Dublin, regarding the design of the proposed Father Mathew Temperance Hall, Church Street. Doolin referred to Fr. Maher’s ‘instructions to provide a Hall capable of seating 1,000 persons exclusive of a permanent stage’ and submits detailed plans for the dimensions and layout of the Hall. Doolin affirmed that ‘there are upwards of 150,000 cubic feet in the building and I do not see how this amount of work can be done for much under £2,000’.

Minute book of the committee and public meetings of the Total Abstinence Sodality. The reverse of the front cover is annotated: ‘Temperance Society of the Sacred Thirst of the Lord Jesus Christ attached to the Church of Our Lady of the Angels, Church Street, founded by the Very Rev. Albert Mitchell OSFC, President, Dublin, June 1880, to which was added The Father Mathew Temperance Hall, Halston Street, opened solemnly Monday, 14th February 1881’. The first page contains the rules of the society as laid down by Fr. Albert Mitchell OSFC. The minute book reports the principal decisions and resolutions passed by the committee at their weekly meetings particularly in respect of financial and membership matters and later in relation to the funding for the construction of Father Mathew Memorial Hall on Church Street. The volume includes a copy of the printed 'First Annual Report' of the sodality (see CA HA/1/1/2) and a copy of a letter from Most Rev. Edward McCabe, Archbishop of Dublin, to Fr. Albert Mitchell OSFC, 49 North King Street, commending the work of the Halston Street Temperance Society (22 Feb. 1882). On 14 Feb. 1883, a report noted that ‘we have at present on the roll upwards of 1,130 men and 1,000 women and although some have fallen away from our ranks still it is satisfactory to be in the position to state that a large number have remained faithful to their pledge’. Other newspaper clippings pasted into volume include a report of a large meeting of total abstinence societies at St. Finbarr’s Hall, Charlotte Quay, Cork. With a copy of the agreement with J. T. Russell, Sandford Terrace, Ranelagh, for the lease of 3 Halston Street at the yearly rent of £16 for 31 years in trust for the Temperance Society of the Sacred Thirst (31 Jan. 1881). The minutes were routinely signed by the President, Fr. Albert Mitchell OSFC, and later by his successor, Fr. Columbus Maher OSFC.

Rule book of the Sacred Thirst Sodality attached to the Father Mathew Hall, Church Street. The introduction notes that the mission of Father Mathew ‘demands a nobler monument than a “storied urn or animated bust” and to the wide dissemination of his principles, which this Hall, was founded to foster and perpetuate’. The rule book states that the sodality ‘strengthened by united prayer, frequentation of the Sacraments, holds monthly meets in the Church and weekly meetings in the Father Mathew OSFC Memorial Hall, Church Street, Dublin’. An annotation on page 11 affirms that the constitution vesting the Hall and all other property in six trustees was amended in 1926. ‘See Committee Minutes of the Hall’. The rule book was probably prepared by Fr. Columbus Maher OSFC, President. The front cover has an ink drawing of the Hall fronting onto Church Street.

Rule book of the female branch of the Father Mathew ‘Sacred Thirst’ Temperance Society attached to St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, under the presidency of Fr. Nicholas Murphy OSFC. The rules note that members are requested to attend the weekly meetings of the Society at the Father Mathew Memorial Hall. It also specifies that ‘in the Hall, during the other evenings of the week, papers, games, and from time to time, concerts, dramatic, and other entertainments are provided for members’ amusement and recreation …’. Various temperance hymns are included in the text. The end cover has a sketch-drawing of Father Mathew Hall, Church Street.

Register of subscriptions paid by members of the Father Mathew Temperance Hall, Church Street. Entries are listed under the name and address of the member, monthly subscriptions paid and individual totals for the year. Yearly totals, accounts and summaries are also extant in the volume. The inside cover and fly leaf have printed ballot papers for elections to the Hall Committee for the years 1907-10; 1912; 1913; 1915. Pagination has been added to the volume until circa page 247. The final page of the volume notes the transfer to ‘a new register in 1945’. Gilt title to front cover: ‘Father Mathew OSFC, Memorial Hall, Register of Members and their Subscriptions’.

Invitation card to the 34th annual meeting of the Father Mathew Memorial Hall, from Fr. Sylvester Mulligan OSFC, President. The speakers include J.T. Kelly, T.C, Joseph Mooney, and the Rt. Hon. Justice Moloney.

The volume records the monthly meetings of the committee of Father Mathew Temperance Hall, Church Street. The first page contains a list of the names and terms of offices of the Capuchin friars who acted as president and vice-president of Father Mathew Hall (1893-1943). The minutes refer to routine matters of administration of the Hall’s operation including the elections of officers, financial accounts and applications for the hiring and use of the Hall by various groups. The meeting of 3 July 1935 considered the proposal for the showing of ‘talkies’ (sound pictures) in the Hall. A typescript memorandum to Fr. Michael O’Shea OFM Cap., President, about procuring films for the Hall is pasted into the volume.

Two school copybooks containing results for the Father Mathew Feis. The entries are recorded under the headings of competition number, competitor number, ranking or place, name of the competitor and teacher name or school address.