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An image of construction work on the new Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal.

An image of the near-completed new Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal. The old friary building (formerly Ards House) stands in the foreground.

Copy circular letter from Fr. Kevin Moynihan OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, announcing the purchase of Ards House by the Capuchin Order. The letter reads:

'It is more than 350 years since the Franciscans laboured “for the glory of God, and the honour of Erin” in the historic Abbey of Donegal. Now they are returning and let us hope that this new Friary of the Order will be a centre of spiritual force, the influence of which will be felt, not only in Tirconaill, but in the whole of the north of Ireland'.

He also expresses his gratitude to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap. whose ‘untiring energy’ ensured the acquisition of the property. A note (added by Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap.) states that a meeting of the Provincial Definitory on 5 Mar. 1930 confirmed the plan to purchase of Ards House for a canonical foundation. It is also noted that Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap. was appointed guardian of the new foundation.

Copy print of a sketch map of the 'Ards Estate Home Farm Offices, the property of A.J.R. Stewart'. The map dates to c.1870. The copy photographic print is of a later date.

A view of corn harvesting in the fields around Ard Mhuire Capuchin Friary in August 1940. The photograph is captioned (left to right) Paddy McGinley, Paddy Ward, Br. Ronan McCabe OFM Cap., Willie Barr and Anton McBride.

A woman with a young child (presumably tenants) outside a cottage on the former Ards estate in County Donegal.

Photographic prints of the demolition of the old Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal. Some of the images also show the shell of the former Ards House and construction work on the new friary building and oratory. Several of the prints show the two buildings during the transition phase of construction of the new House of Studies and Ards Friary. A small number of the prints have annotations on the reverse:
• ‘Ceiling of choir, in old house, Ards, a few days before it was demolished’.
• ‘Demolition of old Ards House in progress’.
• ‘Ards, Autumn 1964’.

An article on the history of Doe Castle on the shores of Sheephaven Bay near Creeslough, County Donegal. The article was compiled by Sheila MacMahon. A note from the author to Fr. David Kelleher OFM Cap. is extant on the reverse of the last page. The file includes a colour postcard print of a painting of Doe Castle and a short note re the restoration by a local branch of the Legion of Mary of broken or neglected Penal-era Mass Rocks in the area around Doe.

Colourized postcard print of the Catholic Church in Doe, Ballymore, County Donegal. It was published by S.R. Butler & Sons, Carndonagh, County Donegal.

An image of Ena Dingwell Tasca Stewart-Bam on the front stairway in Ards House.