Letter from James Joseph Walsh, prisoner no. 899, Mountjoy Prison, to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., referring to the gradually improving conditions for prisoners. Walsh also refers to the public who ‘in large numbers still crowd to the gate’ of the prison. He informs Fr. Albert that three prisoners are still deprived of the privilege of a daily visit: ‘Sullivan, Cork; Shaw, Stradbally; and Fleming, Galway’. The letter is written on an official form with regulations governing prisoner regulations printed on first page.
Letter from James Larkin, Workers’ Union of Ireland, Thomas Ashe Hall, 5a, College Street, Dublin, to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., assuring him that he will make arrangements for a meeting soon. Larkin declares that ‘the pressure has been so heavy that not only have I had to spend the last few Sundays at meetings of Union branches but have also had to work late and early hours over the week ends to deal with work for which I could not find time during ordinary week
A clipping of a letter from James M. Dillon referring to Fr. Senan Moynihan’s ability to secure paper to print ‘The Capuchin Annual’. Dillon suggests that some of the articles in the ‘Annual’ could be described as ‘blatant, if incongruous Fianna Fáil propaganda’. The letter was published in the ‘Irish Independent’ (10 July 1942).
A letter from James Mason (1909-1984), the English-born Hollywood actor, to Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. The letter refers to Mason’s tribute to the late Abbey Theatre actor F.J. McCormick (d. 24 April 1947), which appeared in the 1948 edition of ‘The Capuchin Annual’. Mason got acquainted with McCormick when they both appeared in the 1947 film ‘Odd Man Out’ in which the former played a mortally wounded republican bank robber on the run in Belfast. Mason requests that his fee for his McCormick tribute be donated to an ‘animal charity’ in Dublin.
Letter from James O’Connor, solicitor, to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., regarding a note from British military authorities affirming that ‘certain historical papers … [which] were returned to the late Archbishop Walsh ... . O’Connor advises Fr. Aloysius to ascertain from the Archbishop’s house what papers were returned.
Letter from James O’Sullivan prisoner no. q 100, Lewes Prison, declaring that ‘all the men here, look to the Capuchin Fathers, as their especial friends – they found the comrades in times of peril, true friends of the people, the ideal priests’. O’Sullivan adds that ‘Edmund Duggan (my dearest friend), Pierce Beasley, D. O’Callaghan, G. Crofts and Jimmy Brennan, wish to be remembered to you’. James O’Sullivan fought at the General Post Office during the Rising.
Letter from James Poe & F.M.J. Lyons, solicitors, Kilkenny, to Fr. Ignatius Collins OFM Cap., guardian, enclosing a list of deeds connected with the purchase of property (on Pudding Lane) from Patrick Francis Doran. With searches from the registry of deeds.
A letter from John D. Kearney, High Commissioner for Canada in Ireland, to Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. referring to the ‘photographic artistry’ of ‘The Capuchin Annual’ (1943).
A letter from John D. Sheridan, 55 The Rise, Glasnevin, Dublin, to Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. forwarding an article and promising a ‘humorous article soon, though the humour is almost kicked out of me by this hard world’.