Letter from Joseph W. Cleary, National Education Office, to Fr. Mark McDonnell OSFC, Church Street, enclosing a printed draft of the rules (particularly in respect of funding) for Evening National Schools. With a letter from P.E. Lemass to Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC informing him that St. Francis’ Male Evening School has been recognised by the Office of National Education. Also includes a memorandum noting that St. Francis’ School has received a capitation grant of £15 15s 0d from the Commissioners of Education.
Letter from Michael J. Dwyer, Main Street, Roscrea, to Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, expressing his joy in having a branch of the organisation established in Roscrea.
Letter from C. J. Murray, Honorary Secretary of the Church Street Disaster Fund Committee, regarding the case of William Carthy, a five-year-old child living at 33 North Brunswick Street. The author writes: ‘I am of the opinion from what I have seen of the surroundings of the place that the Committee ought to take immediate steps to have the child taken from his aunt and placed in a boarding school’.
Letter from the Hibernian Fire and General Insurance Company, 49 Dame Street, to Fr. Laurence Dowling OSFC, guardian, Church Street, regarding fire insurance of £18,625 to cover the buildings and contents of the Friary and Church. Reference is also made to the lack of insurance for the Sacred Heart Chapel.
Letter from the Most Reverend Henry Henry, Bishop of Down and Connor, to [Fr. Mark McDonnell OSFC], referring to a request made by one of his Belfast priests to establish a Boys’ Brigade similar to the one founded on Church Street. Archbishop Henry asks for a copy of the rules and inquires whether ‘the results produced would justify the expenditure of time and trouble and I suppose funds’.
Letter from W.V. Nagle, National Bank, 34 College Green, Dublin, to Fr. Augustine Hayden OSFC, guardian, Church Street Friary, referring to the ‘American draft’ of £59 5s 6d and enclosing copies of two accounts of the Capuchins with the aforementioned Bank.
Letter of William Kavanagh, brass plate engraver, 28 Wellington Quay, to Fr. Laurence Dowling OSFC, guardian, Church Street, referring to the designs and illustrations of brass memorial tablets for St. Mary of the Angels. With printed enclosure of various brass memorial templates which could be used.
Letters from Jonathan J. Fitzgerald, 26 Lower Stephen Street, Dublin, to Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Church Street, recommending a play titled ‘Dick Whittington’ for performance by the Boys’ Brigade. He later commends the Brigade for the ‘exquisite programmes’ rendered. Aloysius Johnson, 1 Glenarin Villas, Drumcondra, asks Fr. Paul if he intends holding Brigade troop meetings during the summer months.
Letters mainly from patrons forwarding subscriptions in favour of the Brigade. The file includes letters from Richard O’Shaughnessy, barrister, 3 Wilton Place, Dublin, to Fr. Mark McDonnell OSFC, Church Street, passing on his good wishes to the Boys’ Brigade. He claims that ‘the richer Catholics, and a large, a very large number of Protestants would be among its subscribers … if they only know the work it is effecting’.
Letters from William Mooney & Sons, solicitors, 16 Fleet Street, Dublin, to Fr. Mark McDonnell OSFC regarding the possession of properties held by John Butterly in May Lane and their transfer to the lay trustees of the Catholic Boys’ Brigade, Dublin.
