Showing 41 results

Correspondence relating to the transfer of properties on Church Street (nos. 155-157) to lay trustees of the Catholic Boys’ Brigade. Correspondents include, Thomas J. Furlong, solicitor, 11 Eustace Street, Dublin, Fr. Fiacre Brophy OSFC, Fr. Paul Neary OSFC, Provincial Minister, William Mooney & Son, solicitors, 16 Fleet Street, Dublin, Michael Murphy, solicitor, 44 South Mall, Cork, and John Jameson, Bow Street Distillery, Dublin. Most of the correspondence relates to instructions to be given to solicitors with respect to the drawing up of a conveyance for the above-mentioned properties and to the need for approval of the deed which allows Fr. Matthew O’Connor OSFC and Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC to retire from their trusteeship. John Jameson assured Fr. Fiacre that ‘this company would be very reluctant to put up a building that would be objectionable to your community. … I thought there was no likelihood of the neighbourly relations which have always existed between this company and yourselves being interrupted’. On 20 Dec. 1904 Fr. Paul Neary OSFC stated that the ‘members of our Order who are trustees of the Church Street premises of the Boys’ Brigade have no desire to continue their trusteeship and are willing to hand it to any persons to whom they can do so, without breach of their trust’.

Letter from the Most Rev. Abraham Brownrigg, Bishop of Ossory, to Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC, Provincial Minister, referring to an anonymous letter published in the 'Kilkenny Journal' appearing to advocate ‘the introduction of a Boys’ Brigade into Kilkenny to be worked by and under the supervision of your fathers in Walkin Street’. Brownrigg expresses his disapproval of such a proposal. With a letter from Fr. Jarlath Hynes OSFC assuring the Bishop that ‘our fathers in Kilkenny have no knowledge whatsoever of the anonymous letter … nor has there ever been any question or thought amongst us … of having anything to do with a Boys’ Brigade in your city’.

Letters of the Most Rev. William J. Walsh, Archbishop of Dublin, to the Provincial Ministers of the Irish Capuchins (Fr. Matthew O’Connor OSFC, Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC and Fr. Paul Neary OSFC) regarding the establishment and functioning of the Catholic Boys’ Brigade in Dublin. Walsh wrote to Fr. Matthew on 2 May 1895: ‘I should be glad if you could see your way to letting one of your fathers take it in hand. Of course, the rules should be approved in detail so that at any time we could withdraw our connection and our sanction if things were going wrong’. He later averred (27 May 1895) that the ‘organisation ought to be a useful one, if it is well looked after, and good provision for this seems to be made in the Rules’. He later referred (21 June 1895) to an article in the draft rules of Brigade: ‘In par. X, it seems to be left open to Protestants to have a voice in the management. This, of course, would not work in a Catholic organisation for Catholic Boys only’. On 27 Feb. 1900 Walsh wrote: ‘Our religious communities in Dublin are actively engaged in carrying on many good works, works which undoubtedly could not be carried on at all but for them. But I think it is generally understood that as I am exceedingly careful to avoid anything like interference, or bordering on interference, in the affairs of religious bodies, it is far better that I should not be in any connected with their good works’. He later referred to the Capuchin friars’ decision to discontinue work with the Brigade: ‘I observe there is a special point insisted on by the critics of the Boys’ Brigades – that such Brigades are really training schools for the army. On the whole, it may be just as well that your good fathers have got clear of the work’ (15 June 1902). In 1904, Walsh affirmed that he ‘had always remained aloof the organisation’ and claimed that it was not possible for him to interfere ‘in any way [with] the question as to the holding of the trust property’.

File of newspaper clippings mainly re various anniversaries and commemorations connected with Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC and the temperance campaign. Some of the clippings refer to the unveiling of a Father Mathew statue in his native Thomastown, County Tipperary. The file includes:
• ‘Memoir of Father Mathew by William Howitt’, 'The People’s Journal', 15 Aug. 1846. The copy article refers to Fr. Mathew’s ancestry.
• Clipping of an article titled ‘The Life and Labours of Father Mathew’ from the 'Irish Penny Readings'. The article reports a speech by John Francis Maguire MP at a public meeting held in the Cork City Courthouse in January 1857 to inaugurate a ‘movement for the erection of a monument in Fr. Mathew’s memory’. 121-5 pp.
• ‘Apostle of Temperance in USA’, 'The Standard', 14 Jan 1955.
• ‘Fr. Mathew / One of the Great Men of History, 'Cork Examiner', 15 Nov. 1956.
• ‘Archbishop Mathew’s Tributes to his Illustrious Kinsman’, 'Cork Examiner', 15 Dec. 1956.
• ‘Myles na Gopaleen’ (Brian O’Nolan, 1911-1966), ‘Father Mathew’, 'Irish Times', 18 Dec. 1954 and 13 Jan. 1955. A negative pen-portrait of Fr. Mathew and his temperance campaign.
• Denis Gwynn, ‘Now and then / Father Mathew’s Grave / The Botanic Gardens’, 'Cork Examiner', 15 June 1956.
• ‘Apostle of Temperance Honoured / Kinsman Unveils Memorial at Birthplace / Tipperary Tribute’, 'Irish Independent', 26 June 1939.
• ‘Tipperary Honours the Noble Name of Mathew / Government urged to preserve Thomastown Castle as national monument’, 'The Tipperary Star', 1 July 1939.
• ‘Kilkenny honours Father Mathew / Great Temperance Rally’, 'Kilkenny Journal', 16 July 1938.
• ‘The Memory of Father Mathew / Speeches by Rev. Father Peter Bowe OSFC and the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly, Bishop of Ross’, 'Cork Examiner' [1902].
• ‘Where Fr. Mathew was threatened / Incident at Cootehill’.
• Newspaper cutting re the history of Holy Trinity (Father Mathew Memorial) Church, Cork, and Fr. Mathew’s association with the building. 'West Cork Eagle and County Advertiser', Dec. 1883. The article gives considerable detail about the interior decoration of the building. It reads: ‘There are six confessionals built of pine to correspond with the choir and gallery, and handsomely carved. The Stations of the Cross are in alto relievo, cast in composite material from designs by one of the Italian Friars who were in charge of the Church some years ago They are genuine works of art. The organ, it may not be generally known, is the instrument which was built for the Cork Exhibition of 1852 by Mr. Murphy, and is at present in as good tone as when it peals lifted up the hearts of thousands more than thirty years ago’.
• Special supplement to the 'Cork Examiner' on the Centennial Celebrations, 11 Oct. 1890.

Letters from solicitors regarding the potential purchase of 151 Church Street (part of the Father Mathew Hall property) by clients who hold the said premises under a lease made on 7 Sept. 1920 from Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap. and others to Robert Kavanagh for the term of 150 years at the nominal rent of 5d per year.

Deed of covenant of title for the assignment of properties on Charlotte Quay from Thomas Wellbank Morgan, 13 Blackheath Rise, Lewisham, Kent, and others to Fr. Maurice (Nicholas) Murphy OSFC, Fr. Thomas (Matthew) O’Connor OSFC, Fr. Joseph (Bernard) Jennings OSFC and Fr. Edward (Peter) Bowe OSFC, Charlotte Quay, Cork. The deed refers to the intended purchase by the Capuchin friars of the said premises as set out in a deed of assignment dated 21 Jan. 1895. With a declaration of James Scanlan, 69 South Mall, Cork, agent, affirming that he has, for the past sixteen years, received the rents of the Charlotte Quay properties for Thomas Wellbank Morgan. 1 Jan. 1895.

The file includes a letter from Fr. Albert to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Minister Provincial [Dec. 1922], referring to his time in the parish. He declares that the priests there have no interest in Ireland. ‘It doesn’t count here apparently’, and added, ‘unemployment [is] very serious. The “Daily News” urges the setting up “unemployment committees” …’. Later, Canon Palmer, Ilford, Essex, wrote to Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, Church Street, Dublin, seeking to have Fr. Albert come over to cover for one of his clerical assistants who is unwell. On 11 Oct. 1923 Fr. Palmer wrote: ‘I would gladly give him all accommodation and he could help us. In strict confidence with yourself I wish to say at the same time that if there is any radical objection to his coming or having facilities. I would not presume to ask you at all’. With letter from Fr. Peter Bowe to Fr. Albert granting permission to ‘absent yourself from the Province for the benefit of your health, and to go to Very Rev. Canon Palmer of Ilford … to help in Parochial Work during the absence of the Senior Curate, until the end of February 1924’. The file also includes a letter from Fr. Sylvester Mulligan OFM Cap. to Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., regarding the sending of Fr. Albert to Ilford, Esssex. Some political references are made by Fr. Albert in a letter to Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. (4 Mar. 1924). He wrote: ‘I am able to follow the events pretty well. Tis an awful pity that the being in power of the Labour Party is not availed of to scrap or modify the Treaty – a united body at home could now get anything – not that Labour is pro-Irish. It is not, but … because of the support on which it depends it could not turn down a united Ireland – or a large section demanding it’

The file includes letters from various American Associations for the Recognition of the Irish Republic to Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, re the Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. Includes:
Letter from Mrs John Flanagan, Secretary, Liam Mellows Council of the American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic, Portland, enclosing a resolution protesting against the exiling of Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. and other Capuchin Priests. With annotated cover: ‘Not Answered, F[ather] P[eter]. Deserves none except mind own business’. 25 Mar. 1925.
Letter from Martin Howard, American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic, 3 East 42nd Street, New York, enclosing a resolution condemning the ‘victimization’ of Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. and other Capuchin priests who merely expressed ‘a deep rooted love of their motherland, Ireland … and were therefore looked on as a menace to the so-called Free State Government in Ireland …’. 21 Apr. 1925.
Letter from Loretta A. Ryder, Secretary, Kevin Barry Council of the American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic, enclosing a resolution condemning ‘the unchristian conduct of the Superiors of the Capuchin Order of Priests in Ireland in exiling Father Albert and other Priests of their Order because they had the courage to stand up for Ireland’s rightful independence’. 4 May 1925