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Transcribed accounts of early missionary and retreat activities of the Capuchin Franciscan Community of Rochestown, County Cork, during the mid-1880s. The first leaf contains a brief historical account of a mission given by Fr. Fidelis Neary OFM Cap. at Ballygarvan (then part of the parish of Douglas), featuring a humorous local anecdote passed down by the curate, Rev. T. Flemming, about a farmer who claimed he could listen to the friar preach for a week without food or drink. The remaining two leaves provide a detailed transcription and analysis of an undated contemporary newspaper clipping regarding a major retreat held at Monkstown in 1884 or 1886. Initiated by the parish pastor, Very Rev. Canon McNamara, this retreat drew massive crowds (including a ‘flotilla of boats’ carrying parishioners across the water from Spike Island) and was conducted by Fr. Paul Neary OFM Cap., Superior, and Father Charles Lonergan. The account details the extensive local clergy assistance needed for confessions, a powerful concluding sermon delivered by Fr. Charles about ‘Perseverance’, and a subsequent surge in local enrolment for the League of the Cross temperance organisation. A final note provides biographical context, explaining that Fr. Charles (Charles Lonergan) later obtained a brief of secularization to labour in England while maintaining cordial relations with the Irish Capuchins until his death.

Account book of ‘monies received towards the new [Friary] building during the year 1895’. An index is given on the title page by Fr. Fidelis Neary OSFC, guardian and definitor: I. List of guarantors on three-year system. II. List of special benefactors with amounts subscribed. III. Amounts received from Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. IV. Expenditure account on new building (mostly with Stephen Lalor [var. Lawlor], builder and contractor).

An image of Donal Óg Ó Ceallacháin (Donal O’Callaghan), front row, third from the left, Lord Mayor of Cork, with some Capuchin friars in 1921. Ó Ceallacháin succeeded Terence MacSwiney (d. 25 Oct 1920) as Lord Mayor in November 1920. He was the third republican mayor elected in Cork. Later, he was opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The group also includes Frank Daly (1884-1950), seated, second from the left, who served as mayor from 1930-2, and was later a TD for Cork from 1943-8. Professor PJ Merriman, President of University College Cork, seated, third from the right, is also present. The friars include Fr. Fiacre Brophy OFM Cap. (1888-1926), seated, first on the left, Fr. Martin Hyland OFM Cap (1881-1933), seated, fourth from the left. The group also includes Mr. Simcox, Mike Ahern (Prefect of the Third Order of St. Francis), Fr. Finbarr O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Fr. Bernardine Harvey OFM Cap., Fr. Clement Connolly OFM Cap., Fr. Fidelis Neary OFM Cap., (standing, third from the left), Fr. Pius Duggan OFM Cap., and Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. (standing, first on the right). An annotation on the reverse lists the individuals present in the photograph.

A transcription a bilingual address presented to Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, upon his return to Rochestown following an exploratory journey to South Africa to investigate establishing a foreign mission. The English portion of the text, submitted on behalf of the Guardian and Community of Rochestown and visiting rectors from Kilkenny, extends congratulations on his safe return from an ‘enterprising journey’, framing the mission as a continuation of Ireland’s historical evangelization efforts to bring spiritual light to the ‘Dark Continent’. The bottom section replicates these congratulatory sentiments in traditional Gaelic script, offering a formal welcome (‘céad míle fáilte’) to the superior.

Expenditure accounts in connection with the building of a new Friary on Walkin Street. The accounts provide details of expenditure including Stephen Lalor, builder (£1,337 12s 7d); Samuel Hynes, architect (£100); alms house purchase (£315 2s 0d). A noted is appended to the accounts: ‘The above items were paid by cheque from bank. Some other items in connection with demolition of old house, repairing of new Alms House &c come under the ordinary expenses of the house’. Includes statement of ‘total amount of contract for addition &c to church and convent, Kilkenny, £3,430 13s 3d’. Endorsed on verso ‘statement of accounts given by Fr. Fidelis on the state of his house’.

A photograph of Fr. Fidelis Neary OFM Cap. (front row, second on the right) with a group of Capuchin novices including Br. Columbus Murphy OFM Cap. and Br. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap.

A photograph of (left) Fr. Fidelis Neary OFM Cap. and Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap.

A view of Fr. Fidelis Neary OFM Cap. (1855-1932) standing in the garden of the Church Street Capuchin Friary in Dublin.

A view of Fr. Fidelis Neary OSFC (1855-1932) sitting in the garden of the Church Street Friary in Dublin.

A photograph of Fr. Paul Neary OFM Cap. (seated, left) with his half-brother Fr. Fidelis Neary OFM Cap. in the garden of Holy Trinity Friary in Cork. An unidentified friar stands behind them.