Memorandum by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap., Provincial Secretary, referring to the discovery in the Church Street Archives in 1922 of a collection of papers labelled ‘Correspondence between Dr. Cullen and the Fathers relative to the New Church in North King Street’. Fr. Stanislaus refers to a loose folio sheet titled ‘Notabilia’ relating to the Baron Hale bequest which was the ‘only authentic expression of an obligation for Masses to be found … in the Archives’. (See CA CS/2/3/2). The memorandum affirms that the ‘Notabilia’ document was submitted by Fr. Stanislaus to a definitory meeting in November 1922 which ordered him to investigate the whereabouts of the investment and interest money referred to in the bequest. The memorandum reports Fr. Stanislaus’s findings in relation to the Hale bequest. It notes that in 1893 the legacy, which had been converted to stocks worth £181 11s 5d, was transferred to the Commissioners for the Reduction of National Debt and was subsequently paid to Jane E. Pratt, lawful sister and next of kin of Fr. Daniel Patrick O’Reilly OSFC, one of the priests in whose name the legacy was invested. Fr. Stanislaus concludes by affirming that ‘interest on the investment was drawn up in 1883 which warrants the assumption that the masses were likewise said up to that time’. With copies of the memorandum and transcription of the ‘Notabilia’ document made by Fr. Stanislaus on 10 Nov. 1921. One of the copies is endorsed by Fr. Stanislaus: ‘submitted to the General Definition, Rome, Decree of Condonation from the Sacred Congregation, dated, Feb. 22, 1927 [and signed by Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap.], appended’. The file also includes a typescript note suggesting that ‘Baron Hale’ may refer to Sir Matthew Hales, Lord Chief Justice of the King’s Bench. Some of the notes by Fr. Stanislaus also refer to the correspondence of Fr. Lawrence Gallerani, Irish Capuchin Commissary General, with Archbishop Paul Cullen, regarding the construction of St. Mary of the Angels.
Newspaper cuttings book compiled and annotated by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. Printed stamp on inside front cover: ‘Franciscan Capuchin Library, Church Street, Dublin’. The volume includes: • Report on the celebration of the centenary of Father Mathew and proposed completion of Holy Trinity Church [c.1890]. • Obituary of Fr. Bernard Jennings OSFC and tribute by Cork Corporation, 'Cork Examiner' 21 Dec. 1904; 'Freeman’s Journal', 27 Dec. 1904. • Report on the blessing of the new bell at Holy Trinity Church. 24 July 1881. • The jubilee celebrations at Holy Trinity Church, Charlotte Quay, Cork ('Cork Examiner', 18 Feb. 1902). • Retreat for Third Order at Holy Trinity Church ('Cork Examiner', 20 Mar. 1916). • Father Mathew Chalice donated to Holy Trinity Church ('Cork Examiner', 16 Oct. 1928). • The ordination of six Capuchin friars as priests including Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. in Holy Trinity Church. • Damage to Holy Trinity Church by ‘English bullets’ and a reference to the tradition of Capuchin support for the Irish independence struggle (7 Oct. 1920). • The close of the mission in Holy Trinity Church (15 Mar. 1926). • Reports of damage to Holy Trinity Church during disturbances involving the British military (5 Oct. 1920); Fr. Dominic O’Connor’s recitation of the Rosary for political prisoners held Cork County Gaol (8 May 1920). • The funeral (with photographic print) of Fr. Martin Hyland OFM Cap. at Holy Trinity Church, Cork. (3 Apr. 1933). • Funeral of Br. Louis Daly OFM Cap. in Holy Trinity Church.
Newspaper cuttings book compiled and annotated by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. Bound in hard covers with printed titled: ‘Popular Series / Private Christmas Cards’. The volume consists mainly of cuttings relating to local history, antiquarian interests and articles pertaining specifically to Irish Capuchin history. The volume includes the following article: • The Father Theobald Mathew Chalice in Holy Trinity Church. 'Cork Examiner', 16 Oct. 1928; 'Irish Independent', 17 Oct. 1928; 'The Melbourne Tribune', 6 Dec. 1928.
Note by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. re the existence of an apartment in the Ards House called ‘the Friar’s Room’. It reads: 'The morning after the building and property were taken over from the Land Commission Holy Mass was celebrated in the portion of the building assigned an oratory. In the course of the day one of the fathers remarked to the steward “I expect this is the first time Mass was said here”. The steward was doubtful and mentioned a tradition prevalent … [that] one of the apartments is called “The Friar’s Room”. The explanation given is that about 100 or 150 years ago a friar was accustomed to visit the family and inhabited that room. The steward presumed that when he came, he said Mass in the building'.
Notes compiled by Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. and Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. on the history of Ards House and its acquisition by the Capuchin friars in 1930. Extensive reference is made to the previous occupiers of the estate: 'The Sampsons, the Wrays, the Stewarts, one of whom was married to Lady Isabella Toler, granddaughter of the notorious Lord Norbury are gone, and the Capuchin Fathers are in their ancient home. In the graveyard at Clondahorky, can be seen the grave of the second wife of the first Wray of Ards, and in the grounds of Ards, some trees recall the birthdays of members of the Stewart family. To the Capuchins however, a stronger appeal is made by a lonely tomb in the graveyard around Doe Castle, the last resting place of a Franciscan Friar, Rev. Father Dominick Curden “who departed this life August ye 17th. 1809, aged 85 yrs”'. The file includes a newspaper cutting of a poem titled ‘On the return of the Brown-Robed Friars to Donegal’ by Bernard A. Furey.
Manuscript Memoranda re books held in the Kilkenny Friary Library. The notes were probably compiled by Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. and Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. Particular reference is made to annotations, marginalia and inscriptions found on the frontispieces of the volumes. Some of the memoranda are very fragmentary and incomplete. Many of the books referred to in the memoranda are now extant in the Provincial Archives. See CA KK/10 for a listing of some these texts from the Kilkenny Friary Library.
Newspaper cuttings book compiled and annotated by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. Printed stamp on inside front cover: ‘Franciscan Capuchin Library, Church Street, Dublin’. The pages have been numbered by Fr. Stanislaus. The book includes: 96; 101-112: Reports relating to the death of Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. in Feb. 1925. With some reports on the death of his mother, Julia Bibby in July 1935. With a number of cuttings of photographic prints of Fr. Albert including one with the children of Thomas MacDonagh. 113: Article titled ‘Irish Nationality – Its Safeguard’, 'Kilkenny Journal', 15 Feb. 1913; Report of Irish lectures at a Gaelic League meeting attended by Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. 114: Article titled ‘Awakening of the Nation’ referring to the presentation of Home Rule Club Shield to the Freshford Boys’ National School and to the propagation of the ‘Gaelic Gospel’. The event was attended by Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. and the article reports his address. 'Kilkenny Journal', 1 Mar. [1912] 115-116: Report of meeting of the Gaelic League which was addressed by Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. 'An Claidheamh Soluis', 13 Nov. 1915; An article praising Fr. Albert's role in the 1916 Rising. 'Sinn Féin', 21 Feb. 1922; Tributes to the late Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., 'Irish World', 28 Feb. 1925; 'Kilkenny People', 21 Feb. 1925. 117-118: Tributes to the late Fr. Albert. Includes cuttings of photographic prints. 'Irish World', 4 Apr. 1925
Copy letters of Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. to John J. Sharkey, Catholic Total Abstinence Union, Boston, referring to the cause of Fr. Mathew. Fr. Stanislaus wrote ‘No efforts either privately or publicly have been made by any member of our Order to direct further interest in the intercession of Fr. Mathew, and yet the devotion to him is as abiding in the hearts of the people – especially in Cork – as it was the in the years that followed his death’.
The sub-series contains research notes, correspondence and publications on Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC compiled by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. (1876-1965). Fr. Stanislaus served as Provincial Archivist for the Capuchin Order in Ireland from 1919 to 1958. During this time, he worked assiduously to collect and record any events connected with the history of the Irish Capuchins. In the course of this research he assembled a good deal of material relating to Fr. Mathew and his championing of the temperance cause.
Letter from Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap., Church Street, to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap., guardian, enclosing a copy of the mission list and querying an item in the accounts furnished from Capuchin General Curia in Rome.
