Letters from the Most Rev. Daniel Colahan, Bishop of Cork, to the guardians of Holy Trinity Friary, Father Mathew Quay, Cork. The recipients include Fr. Fiacre Brophy OSFC and Fr. Flannan Downing OSFC. Some of the letters were written by the Bishop’s secretary, James Hurley. Many of the letters relate to requests from the Bishop to the Capuchin community for confessors (particularly for convents of religious women) and to other aspects of ecclesiastical administration in the diocese. Reference is made to masses for benefactors including the Christopher Dunn bequest. On 9 Feb. 1940, Bishop Colahan wrote a circular letter to the clergy warning of the need to the keep the Church ‘detached and Independent of party politics’. The file also includes several printed pastoral letters: 5 Apr. 1942, referring to the ‘sacrament of matrimony’; 16 Mar. 1947, warning of the threat of ‘Communist’ activities in Cork.
Letters from the Most Rev. Cornelius Lucey (1902-1982), Bishop of Cork, to the guardians of Holy Trinity Friary, Cork. The letters concern the appointment of ordinary and extraordinary confessors for convents of religious women and at hospitals in County Cork.
Letters to the guardians of Holy Trinity Church, Cork, from the Electricity Supply Board regarding alterations and maintenance of the electricity supply to the Church and Friary. Reference is made in the letter of 4 Mar. 1948 to ‘continuing emergency conditions’.
Letters from the Most Rev. Patrick O’Donnell (1856-1927), Bishop of Raphoe, to Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Provincial Minister, re the progress of temperance work in County Donegal.
Letters from the Most Rev. Adrian Mung'andu and the Most Rev. Raymond Mpezele, successive Bishops of Livingstone, to Fr. Bruno McKnight OFM Cap. and Fr. Anthony Boran OFM Cap. re the Franciscan House of Studies in Livingstone, concerns re the Capuchin commitment to ongoing pastoral work in the diocese, and the appointment of Fr. Philip Connor OFM Cap. as Episcopal Vicar in the diocese.
Letters mainly from patrons forwarding subscriptions in favour of the Brigade. The file includes letters from Richard O’Shaughnessy, barrister, 3 Wilton Place, Dublin, to Fr. Mark McDonnell OSFC, Church Street, passing on his good wishes to the Boys’ Brigade. He claims that ‘the richer Catholics, and a large, a very large number of Protestants would be among its subscribers … if they only know the work it is effecting’.
Letters from Sinéad de Valera to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., asking for a ‘national novena to the Sacred Heart’. She declares that she has ‘had a letter from Dev this morning. They have had no Sunday mass since they left Ireland. He served Mass on Corpus Christi but that was the only day they had Mass’. She relays De Valera’ request that luxury items such as sweets should not be sent to republican prisoners and suggests that ‘some little committee could be formed to collect the money which would otherwise be expended on postage …’. She adds ‘Please don’t let Eamonn’s name be associated with it as I know he would not like his remark about the luxuries to go around. He has a dislike to being considered a vaitin and his remark might be misunderstood’. In the letter of 24 May 1918 she refers to her anxiety over ‘the midnight raid and Saturday’s paper’. She added: ‘Dev is in Gloucester prison. I had a message from the Governor saying to send on some clothes’.
Letters from Samuel Francis Hynes, architect, 41 South Mall, Cork, to Fr. Jarlath Hynes OSFC regarding the design and installation of the altar and pulpit in the Church of St. Francis, Kilkenny. Fr. Hynes also refers to the design of the frames for the Stations of the Cross.
A bound volume containing original letters from Roger Casement to Fr. Richard Henebry. The volume has a gilt title to spine which reads ‘Roger Casement to Dr. Henebry’. The letters refer to the Irish national movement, the language revival, and contemporary political matters. Casement writes ‘You should get “United Irishmen” for Dec. 9th, this week’s issue – and read Griffith’s speech to the delegates of the National Council. He touches the right note I think – and the historic truth of the economical aspect of our country’s plight is sound’ (8 Dec. 1905). In another letter, Casement refers to James Ward who is imprisoned in Castlebar in County Mayo and to efforts to establish an ‘Irish training college – a school rather, for Ulster Irish and Ulster teachers’ (5 Feb. 1906). Casement added ‘Some one writing as “Sinn Fein II” wrote up your “Urbs Intacta” in the “United Irishmen” of 3rd March. It is a terrible pity Waterford should have so little Irish spirit. It was not ever thus’. A letter of 19 March 1906 refers to a ‘great concert’ in Covent Garden Opera House organised by the Gaelic League. He adds ‘I wish I could help you in Waterford. You must be in a shoneen place … The Catholic shoneen is far worse than the Protestant – for the latter there is a historical, or often recent justification and his environment has so acted on him that he thinks his very patriotism – such that it is – is rather British than Irish – for the Catholic shoneen there is no such legitimate excuse’. Reference is also made to the South Dublin election and to the libel action against Arthur Griffith. A letter of 16 Oct. 1907 refers to Casement’s subscription for Ring College (Coláiste na Rinne) in County Waterford which he sent to Henebry while he was in Brazil.
