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The volume is titled in print on the fly leaf: ‘Archives of the Franciscan Capuchin Monastery, Kilkenny’. The volume was manufactured by Dollard Printing House, Dublin, and appears to have been used as an official archival record book for the Capuchin Friary in Kilkenny. It includes manuscript and typescript copies of documents pertaining to the administration of the Irish Province. Many of the documents are copy circular letters from Capuchin Ministers General or from Irish Capuchin Provincial Ministers. Other documents include letters to the guardian of Kilkenny Friary, letters of obedience (with particular reference to the Kilkenny community), notices of jubilees and deaths, and other official documents from the Provincial Minister and Definitory (Council). The volume includes:
pp 14-15. Circular letter from Fr. Bernard Christen of Andermatt OSFC, Minister General, Peckham, 29 Oct. 1890. Refers to the recent pastoral visitation of the Irish Capuchin Province: ‘It rejoices us much to say that, on the whole, we have found things in a good and satisfactory condition’. With a transcribed copy in volume.
pp 15-23. Copy circular letter from Fr. Bernard Christen of Andermatt OSFC, Minister General of the Capuchin Order, Dublin. 21 Oct. 1890. Outlines the regulations set down following the general visitation to the Irish Province. The regulations mainly refer to matters of discipline, studies and formation, the exercise of prayer and devotion and the celebration of religious feast days. Article 20 affirms that ‘each of our places shall have its own conventual archives, in which shall be kept under lock and key all official and circular letters issued by the general or provincial, and the papers concerning the House’. With a transcribed copy in volume.
p. 23. Circular letter from Fr. Seraphin Van Damme OSFC, Provincial Minister, regarding the observance of a solemn triduum in the Capuchin Friary, Kilkenny, to mark the canonisation of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi. 29 Nov. 1882. In Latin.
p. 25. Circular letter from Fr. Seraphin Van Damme OSFC, Provincial Minister, regarding dispensations from fasts: ‘... We grant to all the Religious of Our Province during the approaching Lent of All Saints, the dispensation to use flesh meat once in the day at the principal meal …’. With similar dispensations in respect of ‘eggs, milk, butter, cheese and things prepared from them’. Convent of the Most Holy Trinity, Cork, 14 Oct. 1885.
p.27. Authentication for the relic of the True Cross ‘and for the relics in large case’ including those of John the Baptist. With blind seal stamp of Fr. Antonius Ligi-Bussi Urbinas, Titular Archbishop of Iconium, and Domestic Prelate to the Pope, signed by him and dated 19 April [1859]. In Latin. Endorsed in pencil on verso: Rev. M.A. Muldoon OSFC.
p. 27. Ordination certificate for Fr. Alphonous Lombard of Ballyhooly OSFC (d. 29 Apr. 1900). Signed, with wax seal of the Most Rev. Marc Michael Hudrisier OFM Cap. Bishop of Port Victoria, Seychelles, Cork, 1 Jan. 1897. Also signed by Fr. Benvenutus Guy OSFC, secretary. In Latin.
p. 129. Circular letter from Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Provincial Minister, and definitors, conveying the ‘decisions of our superiors general with regard to the administration of this Province for the coming three years …’. Fr. Paul adds that these decisions have ‘come upon us with surprise, regret and disappointment …’. Kilkenny, 21 May 1890. With a copy letter from Fr. Bernard Christen of Andermatt OSFC, Minister General, referring to the ‘peculiar circumstances of our dear Province of Ireland with regard to the actual number of priests composing it, and its recent erection into a self-governing Province …’. Rome, 26 Mar. 1890. With a copy decree from Fr. Bernard. In Latin.
p. 130. Circular letter from Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Provincial Minister, to the guardian and religious of the Capuchin Friary, Kilkenny, referring to the impending visit of the General Minister of the Capuchin Order to mark the occasion of the centenary celebrations of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. Holy Trinity Friary, Cork, 26 Aug. 1890.
p. 130. Circular letter from Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Provincial Minister, convening the Provincial Chapter. Cork, 17 Dec. 1892.
p. 133. Encyclical letter of Fr. Matthew O’Connor OSFC (1859-1930), Provincial Minister, following the Provincial Chapter held in Cork, 31 Jan. 1893.
p. 133. Circular letter of Fr. Matthew O’Connor OSFC, Provincial Minister, convoking the Provincial Chapter. 21 Oct. 1895.
p. 133. Circular letter of Fr. Bernard Jennings OSFC, Provincial Minister, regarding the impending General Chapter of the Order. He also refers to the General Minister’s instructions with regard to the exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Cork, 24 Apr. 1896.
p. 135. Circular letter of Fr. Bernard Jennings OSFC, Provincial Minister, referring to the upcoming Provincial Chapter. He refers to the great ‘influx into our Seraphic College’, the increase of students, and to the fact that ‘the number of our Priests shall be increased by five towards the end of the year’. Reference is also made to a ‘kind benefactress’ who by a donation of £1,000 helped to put Rochestown Monastery on its legs …’. Fr. Bernard also refers to the good work which has been done in other houses. He affirmed that a ‘magnificent monastery’ now stands upon the ‘almost plague-stricken ruin at Kilkenny and the £4,000 which at least have been expended thereon is a gift of another kind benefactor. Not only has the back-bone of the hitherto gigantic debt on the Dublin House [Church Street] been broken but by an effort as laudable as it was ingenious the Fathers have contrived a plan by which the whole debt can be wiped out during the next administration’. On the expanding reach of Capuchin preaching and missions, Fr. Bernard wrote: ‘so great was the success achieved that we were even invited there again [to Belfast] in the hotbed of orangeism’. Cork, 20 June 1898.
p. 135. Circular letter of Fr. Bernard Jennings OSFC, Provincial Minister, yielding the government of the Province to the second definitor, Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, for the duration of his absence on Order business in Rome. Cork, 10 June 1898.
p. 137. Circular letter of Fr. Matthew O’Connor OSFC, Provincial Minster, on the silver jubilee of Br. Joseph O’Mahony OSFC. Cork, 1 Dec. 1898.
p. 137. Circular letter of Fr. Matthew O’Connor OSFC, Provincial Minster, convoking the Provincial Chapter. Reference is made to the improvements in the previous three years in terms of personnel, ministry, education, retreats, missions and the economic condition of the Irish Province. Cork, 18 July 1901.
p. 137. Circular letter of Fr. Matthew O’Connor, Provincial Minster, referring to the silver jubilee celebrations of Fr. Nicholas Murphy OSFC and Fr. Bernard Jennings OSFC. Cork, 17 Nov. 1899.
p. 137. Circular letter of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, on the silver jubilee of Br. Elzear Kelly OSFC. Dublin, 20 Dec. 1908.
p. 137. Circular letter of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, reflecting on the commemorations in the Province of the seventh centenary of the foundation of the Franciscan Order. 5 Nov. 1909.
p. 137. Circular letter of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, yielding the government of the Province to the first definitor, Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OSFC, during his absence ‘on some importance business in the Province of America’. Dublin, 20 Apr. 1910.
p. 139. Circular letter of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, referring to the death of Pope Leo XIII, to the missionary labours of the Order’s members in Ireland and to progress of the Total Abstinence Association. St. Mary of the Angels, Dublin, 7 Mar. 1904.
p. 139. Circular letter of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, convoking the Provincial Chapter of 1904. Reference is made to progress over the previous three years in terms of personnel, ministry, education, retreats, missions and the economic condition of the Irish Province. Cork, 18 July 1904.
p. 139. Letter from Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, to Fr. Camillus Killian OSFC, guardian, Capuchin Friary, Kilkenny, regarding the ‘Ceremonial and book of the customs of the Irish Province’. Dublin, 25 Apr. 1908.
p. 139. Circular letter of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, appointing Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OSFC Vice-Provincial Minister during his absence in Rome at the General Chapter of the Order. Dublin, 28 Apr. 1908.
p. 139. Circular letter of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, on the golden jubilee of Fr. Salvator Corrigan OSFC. 10 Apr. 1909.
p. 139. Circular letter of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, convoking the Provincial Chapter of 1910. Reference is made to various aspects of the ministry in the Irish Province (and in Western America) in the previous three years. 7 July 1910.
p. 141. Letter from Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, to Fr. Jarlath Hynes OSFC (d. 25 Mar. 1918), guardian, Kilkenny Friary, asking for a statement ‘that what I laid down at the visitation has been put in practice’. Rochestown, County Cork, 27 Aug. 1905.
p. 141. Circular of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, referring to the progress of the national temperance crusade. Church Street, Dublin, 28 Feb. 1906.
p. 143. Letter from Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Provincial Minister, to Fr. Jarlath Hynes OSFC, guardian, Kilkenny Friary, referring to celebrations of the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of the novitiate for the Irish Province. Reference is also made to the ‘new work of the “Temperance Crusade” …’. Church Street, Dublin, 23 Oct. 1905.
p. 143. Circular letter from Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, first definitor, on the silver jubilees of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, and Br. Felix Harte OSFC. Rochestown, County Cork, 22 Mar. 1902.
p. 143. Letter from Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Provincial Minister, to Fr. Jarlath Hynes OSFC, guardian, Kilkenny Friary, enclosing a copy of a report on the progress of the temperance crusade in 1906 which was sent to the Minister General and published in the 'Analecta'. Church Street, Dublin, 21 May 1907.
p. 151. Circular letter from Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Provincial Minster, forwarding an ‘authentic copy of … the decision lately arrived at by Superior General in Rome regarding this Province’. Kilkenny, 15 Feb. 1887. In English and Latin.
p. 153. Circular letter from Fr. Thomas Dowling OSFC, Provincial Minister, reporting on the progress of missions in the Diocese of Baker City, Oregon and in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Fr. Thomas wrote: ‘Father Luke [Sheehan] took charge of those foundations [in Baker City] and was appointed Superior of the Missions at the Capitular Definitorial Meeting. Father Casimir [Butler] was selected to join Father Luke and together with him has laboured zealously there for more than twelve months’. Church Street, 21 Dec. 1911.
p. 153. Circular letter from Fr. Thomas Dowling OSFC, Provincial Minister, on the silver jubilee of Fr. Jarlath Hynes OSFC. Church Street, Dublin, 1 Dec. 1911.
p. 153. Circular letter from Fr. Thomas Dowling OSFC, Provincial Minister, on the silver jubilee of Fr. Aloysius Travers OSFC. Church Street, 27 Mar. 1912.
p. 155. Letter from Fr. Thomas Dowling OSFC, Provincial Minister, to Fr. Berchmans Cantillon OSFC, guardian, Kilkenny, re the declining health of Br. Stanislaus Walsh OSFC. Rochestown, County Cork, 22 Aug. 1910.
p. 155. Letter from Fr. Benedict Phelan OSFC to Fr. Berchmans Cantillon OSFC, guardian, enclosing a circular letter from Fr. Thomas Dowling OSFC, Provincial Minister, regarding the death on 31 August of Br. Stanislaus Walsh OSFC. Church Street, Dublin, 31 Aug. 1910.
p. 155. Circular letter from Fr. Thomas Dowling OSFC, Provincial Minister, regarding the regulations governing the conduct of temperance missions and retreats. Church Street, Dublin [c.1910].
p. 155. Letter from Fr. Benedict Phelan OSFC to Fr. Berchmans Cantillon OSFC, guardian, Kilkenny, requesting that the house book and ledger of the Kilkenny community be sent to Dublin for Fr. Anselm’s signature. Church Street, Dublin, 21 Aug. [c.1910].
p. 169. Copy circular letter from Fr. Bernard Christen of Andermatt OSFC, Minister General, regarding the forms of regular observance within the Order. Certified copy by Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister. 25 Mar. 1903.
pp 311-337. Letters of obedience, c.1874-1910. Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. compiled a list of these obediences under the headings of date, ‘from’ [usually coming from the Provincial Minister], to [the name of the friar] and ‘import’ [place of transfer]’. The list is extant at CA KK/1/2/5.
p. 367. Examination results for Fathers Brendan, Edward, Berchmans, Pius, Bonaventure, Martin and Malachy. The candidates are noted to have acquired a placet or vote of assent (probably from the governing body of a university). [n.d.].

Assignment from Fr. John Laurence O’Flynn OSFC to Fr. James Edward Tommins OSFC, Fr. Daniel Patrick O’Reilly OSFC, Capuchin Convent, Dublin, Fr. Patrick Joseph Columbus Maher OSFC, Capuchin Convent, Kilkenny, and Fr. Edmund Thomas Dillon OSFC, Capuchin Convent, Cork, of the leasehold interest in premises on Walkin Street in consideration of 5s. The lease recites an earlier lease (dated 31 Aug. 1855) from Frances and Grace Blair to Fr. James Lewis O’Reardon [var. Louis O’Riordan] and Fr. John Laurence O’Flynn of the ‘gateway and yard formerly held by Humphrey Semple and the house at present occupied by Thomas Aylward … and the plot of ground in the possession of the said Rev. John Laurence O’Flynn which said demised premises are situate in Walkin Street in the parish of Saint Mary, City of Kilkenny … forever at the yearly rent of £6’. The file also includes a conveyance (19 Aug. 1897) from Beledia Juliana Maher to Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC and others of the said gateway and premises on Walkin Street to hold in fee farm subject to the rents payable. It is noted that Beledia Juliana Maher was the principal heiress-at-law of the estate of the late Fr. Patrick Joseph Columbus Maher OSFC.

Conveyance (dated 21 Jan. 1919) from Rev. Andrew Craig Robinson, Ballymoney Rectory, Ballineen, County Cork, and Rev. Willoughby Richard Knox Robinson, Ballintemple Stanley Park Road, Surrey, to Rev. Edward (Peter) Bowe OSFC, Church Street, Rev. Thomas (Matthew) O’Connor OSFC, Holy Trinity Church, Cork, and other Capuchin friars of a portion of premises on Walkin Street, Parish of Saint Mary, Kilkenny, situated ‘on the same side of the Capuchin Friary (being on the south east side) … being the entire portion of the hereditaments and premises granted in two fee farm grants of 9 Sept. 1705 and 25 Sept. 1705 from Lord Ormonde [James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde] to Mary Pape now held by the vendors, and which are occupied by John Slater and Patrick Reilly, tenants to the purchasers. The deed notes that the Capuchin friars are to hold the said premises in fee simple free from any encumbrances save the head rent payable (£10 9s 9d) under the aforementioned fee farm grants for which a clause of indemnity is included in the conveyance. The deed includes schedules and a coloured map (scale: 1 inch to 50 feet) of the premises. The schedule attached to the map lists the tenants holding numbered plots on the property. With numerous drafts (many of which are endorsed by either counsel or solicitor), memoranda of agreement, memorials, additional endorsements, and typescript copies of the conveyance.

A notebook containing extracts from letters received from parish priests and other individuals (mostly religious) referring to retreats and temperance missions given by Capuchin friars from 1913-19. The volume was compiled by Fr. Albert Bibby OSFC, Provincial Secretary. Most of the letters refer to requests for friars to conduct missions and (in some cases) to the need for the priests to converse in Irish. The volume includes:
• A letter from Fr. Innocent Ryan, Parish Priest, Fethard, County Tipperary, affirms that the local men ‘have safely ridden the storm of temptation that blew over the place on the occasion of the “old fair” on Friday last. Bucket fulls of coffey [sic] were consumed; and even Bovril (Friday and all!) was, under false ideas of permission, brought into requisition’. Nov. 1913.
• A letter from Rev. Phelan, Parish Priest, Glenmore, County Waterford, to Fr. Augustine Hayden OSFC, notes that the ‘harvest was threshed without drink and the farmers and labourers were perfectly happy. Only in two cases out of possibly 200 threshings was an attempt made to break through the pledge’. (17 Jan. 1914).
• A letter from Rev. J. Flavin, Parish Priest, Arklow, County Wicklow, to Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, refers to his desire to have Fr. Laurence Dowling OSFC for a mission. He added ‘I did not mind who came with him provided he was not a Sinn Feiner’. (28 Dec. 1917).

Letter from the Most Rev. Abraham Brownrigg, Bishop of Ossory, to Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, referring to an anonymous letter published in the 'Kilkenny Journal' appearing to advocate ‘the introduction of a Boys’ Brigade into Kilkenny to be worked by and under the supervision of your fathers in Walkin Street’. Brownrigg expresses his disapproval of such a proposal. With a letter from Fr. Jarlath Hynes OSFC assuring the Bishop that ‘our fathers in Kilkenny have no knowledge whatsoever of the anonymous letter … nor has there ever been any question or thought amongst us … of having anything to do with a Boys’ Brigade in your city’.

Letters from solicitors regarding the potential purchase of 151 Church Street (part of the Father Mathew Hall property) by clients who hold the said premises under a lease made on 7 Sept. 1920 from Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap. and others to Robert Kavanagh for the term of 150 years at the nominal rent of 5d per year.

Correspondence (including many copies) regarding the protracted negotiations with the Rev. Andrew Craig Robinson, to secure the conveyance to the Capuchin friars of two houses on Walkin Street (See CA KK/2/1/1/3/13). Correspondents include Rev. Andrew Craig Robinson, Ballymoney Rectory, Ballineen, County Cork, Fr. Berchmans Cantillon, Fr. Peter Bowe, W. Carrigan, John R. Peart, conveyancing counsel, Nicholas Shorthal, solicitor for the Capuchin friars, and Michael Buggy, solicitor. Robinson noted that the said premises were mortgaged to Michael Buggy, that he was a joint owner with his sister-in-law and nephew, and that they would seek £625 for the outright purchase of the holding. One of the copy letters (8 Jan. 1916) from the Rev. Robinson to Nicholas Shorthal notes that he has received a letter from Lord Ormonde’s agent ‘saying that in consequence of a fire by which a valuable number of documents were lost they have no maps of the property in Kilkenny in the eighteenth century’. The file includes letters mainly referring to emendations to the draft conveyance of the properties, to negotiations over the purchase price, and to a dispute over the bill of costs for securing the conveyance and to the amount of tithe rentcharge payable out of the said premises. On 1 July 1917 John R. Peart wrote to Nicholas Shorthal affirming that they had ‘certainly had trouble in this case out all proportion to the purchase money and to the scale of fees involved’. Fr. Bowe wrote on 28 Dec. 1917 ‘we had patience so long with Rev. Mr. Robinson I suppose we must keep it up to the end’. One of Shorthal’s correspondents, James F. Reade, acknowledged the receipt of £3 3s 0d and referred to the air raids in London in June 1918 as ‘most damnable experiences. … One never gets used to these raids, the noise of the bombs falling, guns firing, shells singing and exploding and machine guns etc. make an infernal row’.

Correspondence relating to the transfer of properties on Church Street (nos. 155-157) to lay trustees of the Catholic Boys’ Brigade. Correspondents include, Thomas J. Furlong, solicitor, 11 Eustace Street, Dublin, Fr. Fiacre Brophy OSFC, Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Provincial Minister, William Mooney & Son, solicitors, 16 Fleet Street, Dublin, Michael Murphy, solicitor, 44 South Mall, Cork, and John Jameson, Bow Street Distillery, Dublin. Most of the correspondence relates to instructions to be given to solicitors with respect to the drawing up of a conveyance for the above-mentioned properties and to the need for approval of the deed which allows Fr. Matthew O’Connor OSFC and Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC to retire from their trusteeship. John Jameson assured Fr. Fiacre that ‘this company would be very reluctant to put up a building that would be objectionable to your community. … I thought there was no likelihood of the neighbourly relations which have always existed between this company and yourselves being interrupted’. On 20 Dec. 1904 Fr. Paul Neary OSFC stated that the ‘members of our Order who are trustees of the Church Street premises of the Boys’ Brigade have no desire to continue their trusteeship and are willing to hand it to any persons to whom they can do so, without breach of their trust’.

Deed of covenant of title for the assignment of properties on Charlotte Quay from Thomas Wellbank Morgan, 13 Blackheath Rise, Lewisham, Kent, and others to Fr. Maurice (Nicholas) Murphy OSFC, Fr. Thomas (Matthew) O’Connor OSFC, Fr. Joseph (Bernard) Jennings OSFC and Fr. Edward (Peter) Bowe OSFC, Charlotte Quay, Cork. The deed refers to the intended purchase by the Capuchin friars of the said premises as set out in a deed of assignment dated 21 Jan. 1895. With a declaration of James Scanlan, 69 South Mall, Cork, agent, affirming that he has, for the past sixteen years, received the rents of the Charlotte Quay properties for Thomas Wellbank Morgan. 1 Jan. 1895.

File relating to an abortive attempt to establish an Irish Capuchin missionary presence in the Cape Colony, South Africa. In 1903, Bishop Hugh McSherry (1852-1940), Vicar Apostolic of the Cape of Good Hope (Eastern District), invited the Irish Capuchins to establish missionary foundations in his Vicariate. The large missionary area offered to the friars comprised the civil divisions of Albert, Aliwal North, Herschel and Barclay East collectively known as the Gariep (later Aliwal) territory. The file includes:
• Ecclesiastical return of the numbers of missions and Catholics in the Eastern Vicariate. 30 June 1903.
• Correspondence between Bishop Hugh McSherry and Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister.
• Draft report of Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC on his visit to Port Elizabeth to view the proposed territory in March 1904.
• Draft letters to the Capuchin Minister General re the proposed mission.
• Draft memoranda of agreement for the proposed mission stations and properties to be held by the Irish Capuchins in the Vicariate.
• Colour trace map of the Eastern Vicariate showing the locations of the proposed Capuchin mission stations.
Other correspondents include: W.H. Butler, J. Commins, Fr. Lewis B. Gately, Fr. J.J. O’Reilly, St. Mary’s, Cape Town, and Fr. Bernard Christen of Andermatt OSFC, Minister General of the Capuchin Franciscans. On 13 July 1903, Bishop McSherry wrote: ‘I fear it would be practically impossible for me in a letter to convey to you any fair idea of the state of things in this country. Everything here is quite different to what it is at home – climate, season, habits and customs of the people, conditions of travelling, the ways of the natives – everything’. Later, the Bishop explained that the ‘mission district is 175 miles in its greatest length and 75 miles in its greatest width. It contains the important towns of Ailwal and Burghersdorp and the following smaller ones, Jamestown and Barclay East. … There are no Catholic schools in the district. The climate is about the best in South Africa or in the world’. (4 Jan. 1904).