Newspaper cuttings referring to Father Mathew Hall, Church Street. The cuttings are mainly from 'The Irish Catholic' and include references to the opening of 'Aonach na Bealtaine', temperance work, membership of the Hall, notices of annual meetings, details of excursions and lectures, and statements of accounts of the Hall Committee. One of the cuttings refers to the work of Fr. Albert Mitchell OSFC in founding the temperance sodality. It reads ‘in 1881 the association was installed in modest apartments in Halston Street … in 1891, the centenary year of Father Mathew, the new fine hall now standing on Church Street was opened during the presidency of Father Columbus Maher OSFC’. Includes two sketches of Fathers Mitchell and Maher. The report of the 23rd annual meeting of Father Mathew Hall contained a short excerpt of a speech by Pádraig Pearse in which he stated that the ‘Irish Ireland movement would be successful only so far and so long as it went hand in hand with temperance and its off-shoot of total abstinence’.
The sub-series consists of records created during the routine management of Father Mathew Temperance Hall, Church Street, Dublin. This section includes the minutes of the weekly meetings of the Hall Committee.
Resolution of the Father Mathew Hall Committee admonishing a Mr. Nicolls who ‘has violated the custom of this committee by publishing what purports to be the details of our private deliberations’. The resolution also defends the rights of Fr. Columbus Maher OSFC as President of the Sacred Thirst Sodality and avers that Mr. Nicolls ‘was the only member who ever introduced politics here’.
Draft resolution forwarded by Fr. Angelus Healy OSFC, Vice-President, Father Mathew Hall. Fr. Angelus suggest that the resolution ‘asks two things … first to endorse the work of the Irish Temperance Association and secondly to appeal for further financial support to enable the Hall Committee to extend their temperance propaganda’. The resolution refers to efforts to curtail the sale of alcohol on Sundays. The report notes that ‘we have Sunday drinking not in the interest of the public but in the interest of the publican’.
Annual reports and statements of accounts of Father Mathew Hall, Church Street. The booklets provide reports on annual general meetings, activities, speeches and events held in the Hall and provide annual accounts of receipts and expenditure. The 1901 report (pp 20-3) gives an account of a speech by Pádraig Pearse in the Hall on 2 March 1902 commending the giving of classes ‘for the study of our native language, and forms of self-culture amongst our members.’ He added ‘There is a certain bad old tradition that one cannot be a good Irishman unless he “takes a dhrop”. Now, I think you will all allow if there is one body in Ireland which is concerned more than another for the maintenance of genuine Irish traditions, that body is the Gaelic League … [and] in the ranks of no body in Ireland will you find proportionally so many total abstainers as in those of the Gaelic League’. Pearse suggested that there should be more cooperation between the Gaelic League and the temperance movement. In 1906, it was reported (p. 20) that ‘owing to several exceptional expenses, rendered necessary by the increase of membership and the extension of temperance work, we have not been able to reduce our indebtedness to the Bank’. The statement of accounts noted that £1,405 6s 5d was owed to the National Bank by December 1906. The front covers of the booklets have ink drawings of the Hall fronting onto Church Street.
The volume contains information in respect of ticket sales and cash derived from various lectures and concert performances at Father Mathew Hall, Church Street. The Hall was regularly frequented by those interested in promoting cultural revivalist activities such as storytelling and festivals of native song and dance. The volume records that Pádraig Pearse gave a lecture in the Hall entitled ‘Education in Ancient Ireland’ on 20 Nov. 1905. On 29 Jan. 1906, the Chevalier Sheeran gave a talk on subject of the ‘alleged atrocities in the Congo Free State’. Each entry is signed by a secretary or officer of the Hall Committee. The signatories include J.W. Whitmore and J. Scanlan.
Expenditure and receipt book for Father Mathew Hall, Church Street. An annotation on the front cover reads ‘Day book’. The entries are recorded under date, details and totals of expenses and receipts. Most of the expenditure relates to services and utilities such as rent, electricity, salaries and repairs. The receipts record monies mostly accruing from the showing of films, the sales of tickets and badges, and the use of the Hall for cards and billiards games.
Expenditure and receipt book for Father Mathew Hall, Church Street. The first two pages of the volume contain a ‘History of Fr. Mathew Hall’ copied from an earlier ledger (see CA HA/1/3/8). An entry on page 6 refers to the order of the Hall Committee for the discontinuation of the showing of motion pictures (Oct. 1937). Expenditure is listed under the headings of details, cash and cheques. Receipts are listed under details, cash and lodgements. The entries for expenditure include figures for rents, rates and taxes, salaries, utilities and the purchase of various sundries. The receipts include monies accruing from the sales of tickets and the use of the billiards room.
Letter from Kevin J. Wilson, auctioneer, Dame Street, Dublin, to Fr. Livinus Keane OFM Cap., President, regarding the valuation of Father Mathew Hall and interior fittings. Wilson affirmed that the ‘entire property is held on a lease for 150 years at a rent of £100. The Hall is used as an amusement hall and has accommodation for 750 people and 3 exits. … Adjoining the said hall there are 6 cottages, which are let at 8s 9d per week’. The entire valuation of the Hall property is given as £47,000.
Expenditure and receipt account book for Father Mathew Hall, Church Street. The volume includes entries relating to expenses incurred for advertising various feis and panto performances in the Hall. The volume also includes accounts with local suppliers including Thomas Lenehan & Co. and J. Treacy & Co. The receipts’ entries include ‘Billiard room returns’.
