An image of the ‘Irish Plane’ docked at Cape Town in South Africa. The ‘Irish Plane’ was built in 1949 by William Gray & Company in Hartlepool, England, for Irish Shipping Limited. This state-owned company was established in 1941, soon after the outbreak of the Second World War with the object of providing the ships necessary to supply Ireland’s import needs. The 'Irish Plane' served only a short number of years with the Irish Shipping company. It was sold to a Pakistani shipping firm in January 1960 and was eventually scrapped in Karachi in 1971
An image of a large group of Irish pilgrims at an audience with Pope Pius XII (1876-1958) at Castel Gandolfo just outside Rome on 20 September 1953. The pilgrims are members of the Third Order of St. Francis, a religious fraternity of lay men and women attached to the Franciscan Friary on Merchants’ Quay in Dublin. Several Franciscan friars (Order of Friars Minor) can be seen in the image. The individual (with the spectacles) immediately to the right of Pius XII is William MacNeely (1889-1963), the Bishop of Raphoe from 1923 until 1963.
This section comprises files of loose letters to Fr. Henry Rope. The letters are primarily from Irish correspondents or include commentary on Irish events.
A clipping of an article on the ‘Lusitania’ memorial sculpture by Jerome Connor in Cobh, County Cork. The article was published in the ‘Irish Press’ (15 February 1953).
A flier promoting a production of John Millington Synge’s ‘The Playboy of the Western World’ at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin in July 1953. The production was staged by Cyril Cusack (1910-1993) with the actor himself in the title role (as Christy Mahon). The cast also included the Belfast-born actress Siobhán McKenna (as Pegeen Mike), with appearances by Jack McGowran, Walter Macken, and Cyril Cusack’s wife Maureen.
A clipping of a photograph of Cathal O’Shannon and Fr. Augustine Hayden OSFC at the Mater Hospital in Dublin where the former was receiving treatment. The clipping was used to illustrate an article on O’Shannon’s personal recollections of the 1916 Rising published in the ‘Empire News’ (4 September 1953).
A clipping of a short review article published in the 'Irish Press' (21 Aug. 1954). The article was probably written by Benedict Kiely and refers to the resignation of Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. as editor of 'The Capuchin Annual'.
Group photograph of Capuchin friars at St. Mary of the Angels Church, Athlone, Cape Town, South Africa. The group includes Fr. Colga O’Riordan OFM Cap., Fr. Salvator Quinn OFM Cap., Fr. Jerome McQuillan OFM Cap., and Fr. Carthage Ruth OFM Cap.
