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James McKenna (d. 1846) played a key role in the founding of the Cork Total Abstinence Society (CTAS) in 1838. He also acted as Fr. Mathew’s principal travelling secretary during the early years of his campaign. McKenna made extensive efforts to publicise the movement through newspaper advertising, the printing of posters, pamphlets and handbills but the most comprehensive expression of his temperance philosophy is preserved in his manuscript history of the movement. McKenna kept his voluminous records of the CTAS’s progress in his 'History of the Temperance Reformation in Ireland, England and Scotland by James McKenna, Chief Travelling and Confidential Secretary to the Very Reverend Theobald Mathew'. This eclectic, meticulously hand-written collection of hundreds of outsized pages of transcribed material was woven together in McKenna’s own strident presentation. The text recorded very many of the activities connected Fr. Mathew’s temperance campaign from 1838 to 1846. McKenna intended to publish his account, as the definitive, triumphal and popular history of what seemed like a permanent social revolution. McKenna’s sudden death (in Cork in 1846), and the temperance crusade’s rapid retreat, likely combined to prevent the manuscript’s publication. Although of dubious literary merit, McKenna’s manuscript represents an extremely important source for Fr. Mathew’s temperance crusade. The text is preserved in the Irish Capuchin Archives.

This section includes legal records relating to the management of properties at Ard Mhuire Capuchin Friary. The series also includes papers relating to the construction, renovation and repair history of Ards Friary and the Capuchin House of Studies. A sub-series includes correspondence, architectural plans, and financial records relating to the construction of a new friary and theological seminary on the existing Ard Mhuire site in the 1960s.

This series contains property documents including title deeds, legal correspondence, and memoranda relating to the acquisition of properties in Cork by the Capuchin Franciscan friars. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Cork experienced a dramatic physical growth. George’s Quay had been built during the second half of the century, making the River Lee navigable for shipping and in 1806 Parliament Bridge had replaced an earlier structure connecting both sides of the city for the flow of commercial traffic. A location below this bridge, near the mercantile and commercial centre of the city, was chosen by Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC as the site for a new church. The foundation stone of what was to become Holy Trinity Church was laid on 10 October 1832. However, the building was not opened for public worship until 1850. The gothic portico and spire were not constructed until 1889-90. Prior to the opening of the new church, the Cork Capuchins had lived in a friary situated on Blackamoor Lane in the South Parish. Following the construction of Holy Trinity Church, the community obtained a lease of 8 George’s Quay in 1855. Later, they moved across the river to a house built by Fr. Cherubim Mazzini OSFC (1831-1906) situated at the corner of Queen Street and Charlotte Quay. Fr. Cherubim Mazzini OSFC, (sometimes referred to as Cherubini in contemporary newspapers and other documents) was a Capuchin friar from Bologna in Italy. The Cork Gas Company later took possession of this site on the quay. It is now occupied by Radió Teilifís Éireann. In the summer of 1884 the Capuchin community took up residence in the present-day friary. The building of this friary was started by a French Capuchin, Fr. Simeon Gaudillot OSFC (1836-1910), and completed by Fr. Seraphin Van Damme OSFC (1820-1887) who became the first Provincial Minister of the newly reconstituted Irish Capuchin Province in 1885.

This series includes records relating to Irish Capuchin missionary work in Zambia (previously Northern Rhodesia) which commenced in 1931. The series contains correspondence, visitation reports, minutes, newsletters and missionary magazines, travelogues, linguistic material, regional histories, and personal mission journals. The collection also includes a very large collection of photographic albums and prints. The papers are a rich source for church and mission history. As the work of the missionaries in Zambia embraced not just evangelism, but also, for example, education, medical work, language study and translations, and the development of local agriculture and industry, these records are a valuable source for study across a wide range of research interests.

This section contains property documents including title deeds, leases, legal correspondence and memoranda relating to the acquisition of properties in Dublin by the Capuchin friars. For the most part, the documents relate to the present-day St. Mary of the Angels Friary located on Church Street. The section also includes legal documents relating to properties located on streets immediately adjoining Church Street (such as Bow Street and North King Street). These documents relate to buildings which were either previously held by the friars (and have since been disposed of), or to properties which continue to be used for various apostolates such as the Capuchin Day Centre located on Bow Street.

A collection of personal papers of Fr. Columbus Murphy OFM Cap. relating to his involvement with republican combatants and other individuals during the 1916 Rising.

The series includes lantern slides and glass plate photographic images relating to the life and career of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC (1790-1856), a famed nineteenth century temperance campaigner and Capuchin friar. It is very probable that these lantern slides were used as illustrative aids by the Capuchins for public talks and auditorium lectures on Fr. Mathew’s campaign against intoxicating liquor. Temperance activity was revived in 1905 when the Irish Catholic hierarchy invited the Capuchins to preach a National Crusade. This revival generated widespread public enthusiasm and by 1912 the Capuchins had administered over a million pledges throughout the country. The lanterns slides were, in all probability, used in this campaign. The collection includes images of various places associated with Fr. Mathew’s life and notable events associated with his crusade against intoxicating liquor which began in Cork in 1838. Other images relate to later commemorations of Fr. Mathew and include photographs of the ‘Father Mathew Pavilion’ at the Cork International Exhibition of 1902 which displayed historical artefacts, devotional objects and personal paraphernalia associated with his campaign.

This series contains property documents including title deeds, legal correspondence and memoranda relating to the acquisition of properties in Kilkenny by the Capuchin friars. For the most part, the documents relate to the present-day Friary building situated on Friary Street (formerly known as Walkin Street). The modern Friary consists of two portions, one running parallel to Friary Street, built about 1873-4; the other is a wing built in 1897, situated at a right angle and extending to the adjoining Pennyfeather Lane. The series also contains documents relating to the novitiate building constructed on the site of the Capuchin Friary in Kilkenny in 1959-60.