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This series comprises historical catalogues and schedules of records held in the archives of Holy Trinity Friary in Cork. Some of the material noted in these catalogues is now extant in the Irish Capuchin Archives. However, other archival material referenced in these descriptive lists has now evidently been lost.

This series contains property documents including title deeds, legal correspondence, and memoranda relating to the acquisition of properties in Cork by the Capuchin Franciscan friars. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Cork experienced a dramatic physical growth. George’s Quay had been built during the second half of the century, making the River Lee navigable for shipping and in 1806 Parliament Bridge had replaced an earlier structure connecting both sides of the city for the flow of commercial traffic. A location below this bridge, near the mercantile and commercial centre of the city, was chosen by Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC as the site for a new church. The foundation stone of what was to become Holy Trinity Church was laid on 10 October 1832. However, the building was not opened for public worship until 1850. The gothic portico and spire were not constructed until 1889-90. Prior to the opening of the new church, the Cork Capuchins had lived in a friary situated on Blackamoor Lane in the South Parish. Following the construction of Holy Trinity Church, the community obtained a lease of 8 George’s Quay in 1855. Later, they moved across the river to a house built by Fr. Cherubim Mazzini OSFC (1831-1906) situated at the corner of Queen Street and Charlotte Quay. Fr. Cherubim Mazzini OSFC, (sometimes referred to as Cherubini in contemporary newspapers and other documents) was a Capuchin friar from Bologna in Italy. The Cork Gas Company later took possession of this site on the quay. It is now occupied by Radió Teilifís Éireann. In the summer of 1884 the Capuchin community took up residence in the present-day friary. The building of this friary was started by a French Capuchin, Fr. Simeon Gaudillot OSFC (1836-1910), and completed by Fr. Seraphin Van Damme OSFC (1820-1887) who became the first Provincial Minister of the newly reconstituted Irish Capuchin Province in 1885.

This series includes newspaper clippings mostly referring to significant religious events, commemorations and centenaries held at St. Mary of the Angels on Church Street in Dublin.

This series includes records relating to Irish Capuchin missionary activity in South Africa which commenced with the arrival of the first friars in 1929. The series comprises material such as correspondence, financial reports, minutes, journals, newsletters, maps, publications and a collection of photographic albums and prints.

This series includes records relating to Irish Capuchin missionary work in Zambia (previously Northern Rhodesia) which commenced in 1931. The series contains correspondence, visitation reports, minutes, newsletters and missionary magazines, travelogues, linguistic material, regional histories, and personal mission journals. The collection also includes a very large collection of photographic albums and prints. The papers are a rich source for church and mission history. As the work of the missionaries in Zambia embraced not just evangelism, but also, for example, education, medical work, language study and translations, and the development of local agriculture and industry, these records are a valuable source for study across a wide range of research interests.

The series includes records relating to temperance missions preached by the Irish Capuchin friars in the late nineteenth century and in the early years of the twentieth century. In October 1905 the Irish Catholic hierarchy called upon the Capuchins to undertake a nationwide temperance crusade. The friars preached dozens of temperance missions in parishes throughout the country. It was noted in 1912 that their ‘labours in the parishes partook much of the character of short missions or spiritual exercises, sometimes for three days, often times for a week, and not infrequently a fortnight … going from parish to parish, as consecutively as possibly, over a district. Experience proves that in the question of drink, the influence of one locality tells very much for good or for evil’ (CA MR-1-2-1-4). The series includes local mission reports, subscription and pledge-taking records, correspondence, publicity material, ephemera and newspaper reports relating to the temperance crusade.

This series comprises historical catalogues and schedules of papers held in the Archives of the Capuchin Friary in Kilkenny. Some of the papers listed in these catalogues are now held in the Provincial Archives in Dublin. Other records referenced in the catalogues have evidently been lost. See also the large bound volume titled ‘Archives of the Franciscan Capuchin Monastery, Kilkenny’ at CA KK/1/3/1.

A collection of personal papers of Fr. Columbus Murphy OFM Cap. relating to his involvement with republican combatants and other individuals during the 1916 Rising.

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.