Letters from P.J. McLoughlin & Co., builders and public works contractors, Ardnacassa, County Longford, re their work on the new Capuchin Friary and House of Studies at Ard Mhuire in County Donegal. Letter recipients include Fr. Conrad O’Donovan OFM Cap. and Fr. Nicholas O’Brien OFM Cap. Most of the letters are acknowledgments of payments received for contracted work on the building project.
File relating to the promotion of a series of Silver Circle draws in aid of the building fund for the new House of Studies and Ard Mhuire Friary, Cashelmore, County Donegal. The file includes letters (mainly from the local clergy) in support of the fund, promoters’ cards and ephemera, legal permits, and bank statements and receipts associated with the fund. The file also includes a list of parishes in Donegal in which the promotion of the fund was permitted.
Letters referring to a serious fire in Ard Mhuire Capuchin Friary on 10 Dec. 1944. The file includes a letter from the Most Rev. William McNeely, Bishop of Raphoe, to Fr. Andrew Carew OFM Cap. He wrote: 'After the terrible tragedy at Roddens’ here [in Letterkenny], our minds are very much on that kind of thing. And now Ards is next on the casualty list, followed by the nuns [Sisters of Mercy] of a house-burning at Moville. Everyone is now looking for the local chimney sweep, fearing the effects of turf fires on flews constructed for coal fuel'. The file also includes letters conveying thanks to An Garda Síochána at Creeslough and to the Derry City Fire Brigade.
File relating to the establishment of a lay confraternity of the Third Order of St. Francis attached to Ard Mhuire Capuchin Friary. The file includes a letter from the Most Rev. William McFeely, Bishop of Raphoe, granting permission for the establishment of a branch of the Third Order of St. Francis.
Faculties from the Bishop of Raphoe for members of the Capuchin community, Ard Mhuire Friary, Creeslough, County Donegal. The file includes faculties for Fr. Thomas Rocks OFM Cap., Fr. Paul Murphy OFM Cap., Fr. Terence Harrington OFM Cap., Fr. Peter Banks OFM Cap., Fr. Christopher Twomey OFM Cap., and Fr. Desmond McNaboe OFM Cap.
Correspondence of Fr. Berchmans McCarthy OFM Cap, guardian, Ard Mhuire Friary, regarding his wishes for improvements in the Post Office delivery service in the Cashelmore district in County Donegal.
Correspondence relating to the disposal of the books from the library of Ard Mhuire Friary. A letter from Fr. Eustace McSweeney OFM Cap. to Fr. Benedict Cullen OFM Cap. affirms that ‘Fr. Raymond Murray took all the books that you suggested for the Cardinal Ó Fiaich Library and Archive in Armagh’. Fr. Eustace confirmed that the books will be stamped as suggested. The file includes a copy letter from the Most Rev. Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh, expressing his gratitude to the friars ‘for the wonderful collection of books which you have gifted to the Cardinal Ó Fiaich Library and Archive. I understand that it is a very large collection of valuable books, many of great scholarly interest and value’.
Fliers advertising the Ard Mhuire Retreat Centre, Creeslough, County Donegal. One of the fliers provides the programme for retreats from 1 Jan. 2005- 8 Dec. 2005. The fliers have photographic prints of the exterior of the Retreat Centre.
File containing photographic prints of the Stewart-Bam residence at Ards House, Creeslough, County Donegal. These are images of the residence (and former owners) before the Capuchin friars took possession of Ards House in 1930. Some of the prints were reproduced in 'A history of Ards' (1991) by Fr. David Kelleher OFM Cap. The file includes: • Copy print of the gardens at Ards House in 1859. Fr. David notes that this photograph was taken by David Knox (1821-1895). • Sir Pieter von Blommenstein Bam in the uniform of a Lieutenant Colonel during the Boer War in South Africa, c.1900. • The staff of Ards House in 1906. The photograph is annotated on the reverse with the names of the male and female servants. • Servants and staff welcoming the newly married Ena Dingwell Tasca Stewart-Bam and Sir Pieter von Blommenstein Bam (d. 20 Dec. 1928) at Ards House in 1910. The smaller copy of the print has the following annotation: ‘Taken over 20 years ago, at some kind of reception given to the Stewards by his tenants xx – Sir Peter and Lady Stewart. Arrow on photograph points to present gardener (W. Barr)’. • An original print of a group with two jarveys outside Ards House in about 1910. • Copy print of a sketch map of the Ards Estate Home Farm Offices, the property of A.J.R. Stewart. • Ena Dingwell Tasca Stewart-Bam on the front stairway in Ards House in c.1910. • A woman with a young child (presumably tenants) outside a cottage on the Ards Estate.
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.
