Letters to Fr. Nessan Shaw OFM Cap. relating to his research on the life and temperance campaign of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. Most of the letters refer to sources tracing Fr. Mathew’s ancestry. The correspondents include:
• Fr. E. Dowling, Cathabawn, Johnstown, County Kilkenny. Re Theobald Mathew’s early education in the Kilkenny Academy from 1803-7.
• Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. Re a list of Fr. Mathew’s siblings.
• David Mathew. Re the ancestry and genealogy of Fr. Mathew.
• Rev. Wallace Clare. Re the genealogy of Fr. Mathew.
• Fr. Gervase Mathew OP, Blackfriars, Oxford. Re Fr. Mathew’s genealogy and the disposition of the Mathew family papers in their possession.
• Br. De Sales. Enclosing extracts relating to Fr. Mathew from the diary of W.J. O’Neill Daunt (1807-1894).
• Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap. Enclosing brief extracts from the General Capuchin Archives in Rome re Fr. Mathew.
• Fr. T.J. Walsh, South Presbytery Cork. Enclosing a note from Jack J. O’Shea re the poems of John Paul Dalton (a Cork-born poet) titled ‘The Centenary of Father Mathew’ and ‘A Legend of Father Mathew’.
Certified copy probate of Kate Hannell Plunkett (d. 6 Jan. 1921). She bequeaths to her cousin, Kathleen Corcoran, a daughter of the late Michael Corcoran, manager of the Hibernian Bank Limited, Sackville Street, all her interest in the plot of ground formerly known as Thunder’s Court, Church Street, situated at the rear of 141 Church Street, now in the possession of the Capuchin friars. The probate was granted on 19 Feb. 1921. The copy is certified by O’Keeffe & Lynch, solicitors, 30 Molesworth Street, Dublin, 3 Dec. 1940. With copy conveyance by the said Kathleen Corcoran to Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap. and Fr. Charles Brophy OFM Cap., of said premises ‘now forming part of the grounds attached to the Catholic Church of St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street’, in consideration of the sum of £200. The copy conveyance is endorsed on the title page: ‘offered as altered on behalf of Kathleen Corcoran … 5 Dec. 1940’.
A photograph of (seated, centre) Fr. Bernardine Harvey OFM Cap. at the Church Street Friary on the occasion of his golden jubilee of his entering the Order (1944). Fr. Brendan O'Callaghan OFM Cap., Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. and Fr. Benedict Phelan OFM Cap. are also present in the image.
Letter from Fr. Luke Sheehan OFM Cap., Bend, Oregon, referring to the influenza pandemic. Father Luke reports ‘through some secular source the news that Fr. Chrysostom Sutton had died (from influenza) in November. He reveals that he personally had a ‘touch’ of the flu at the beginning of October but ‘did not know it at the time’, only remaining in bed for a few days. He expresses gratitude that he and his companions ‘all escaped the flu so far’. He writes ‘I suppose now that the war over on the sea I peace it will be an easy matter to send him some help right after Xmas’.
Copy letter from Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, to Joseph Fenelon OFM Cap. on various personnel matters pertaining to the American mission. Reference is made to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. who is ‘recommended to the West by the Doctors, and as St. Inez [Santa Inés] is considered best for him we decided not to have him alone there, and hence Fr. Reginald [O’Hanlon]’s and Br. Columcille’s [Cregan] Obediences are for there’. It also stated that Fr. Thomas Dowling OFM Cap. and Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. will be sent to assist Fr. Brendan O’Callagahan OFM Cap. with missions in New York.
Letter from Fr. Joseph Fenelon OFM Cap. to Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, reporting on several administrative and community matters within the mission. Father Fenelon describes visiting ‘the whole ground with Luke’ to discuss plans for a new school and community house in Bend, Oregon. He relates that Fr. Albert’s health is deteriorating. He has undergone a second operation at Santa Barbara hospital, where a significant amount of water was removed from him. While he showed brief improvement, he is now reported as ‘somewhat weaker’ and is not expected to live much longer. He also notes that Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. wishes to remain in Santa Barbara with Fr. Albert but Father Fenelon suggests that would not serve him well and that he should go back to Santa Inés and see Fr. Albert ‘now and again’. Fathers Raphael, Leo, and Brendan are mentioned as requesting to go home for the summer.
Letter from Fr. Joseph Fenelon OFM Cap. to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, referring to the issue of missionary friars wearing bears in the United States. He clarifies that while none of the friars are completely ‘clean shaven’, they have all adopted the style of ‘small beards’ (likely short-trimmed) and are shaving their side faces. Father Fenelon also mentions various personnel changes. Father Fenelon noes that he and Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan will be at St. Anselm’s in Brooklyn from May 5th to the 16th for missionary work.
Correspondence of Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., with Robert F. Mahony, President, American Association for Recognition of the Irish Republic; Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Central Council of Irish County Associations; Eugene Twomey, Secretary, Fianna Fail, Inc., Irish Republican Party of America; Charles F. Tiernan; Joseph O’Byrne of the Fathers’ Albert & Dominic Committee; and the Irish American National Alliance. The letters refer to appeals from various Irish-American republican organizations calling for the repatriation to Ireland of the mortal remains of Fathers Albert Bibby OFM Cap. and Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap.
Register of masses at St. Mary of the Angels. The title page reads ‘Mass ledger begun August 1st 1942, Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Guardian. Ended – September 30th 1948, Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap., Guardian’.
Correspondence, estimates, bills of costs and certificates of account concerning various building and improvement projects at the Capuchin Friary, Church Street. Works included plastering the corridors in the Friary, improvements to the boilers and heating systems, new lavatories and basins, the installation of a new shrine, and alterations to candlesticks on the Church altar. Correspondents included John Hughes, builder and contractor, 26a Mt. Eden Road, Donnybrook, A.W. Lyons & Son Ltd., stained glass studios, 20 Westland Row, John L. Robinson, architect, 8 Merrion Square, Maguire & Gatchell Ltd., engineers, contractors and merchants, Dawson Street and C.W. Harrison & Sons, architectural and monumental sculptors, 178 Pearse Street. The file includes a letter from John L. Robinson (8 July 1943) referring to the difficulties in erecting the new shrine as ‘most of the garden is made up of ground with old cellars underneath … and in one corner of the building we came upon an old well over which it was necessary to place a substantial reinforced concrete slab’. Other correspondents include Fr. Charles Brophy OFM Cap., Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap. and Fr. Virgilius Murtagh OFM Cap., guardians of the Church Street community.