Framed letter of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC, Imperial Hotel, Dublin, to Richard Dowden referring to the harsh sentence handed down to a sailor at a court martial in Cove (Cobh) Harbour. Fr. Mathew wrote ‘Strict discipline it is true, must be enforced in Her Majesty’s Fleet, but from the Report of the Trial, it is evident that the miserable culprit, was a habitual drunkard, and consequently a lunatic, and should be treated as such …’.
Framed letter of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC, Cork, to Ms [recipient not given] referring to the shortage of food in the city. The letter reads ‘It would afford me pleasure to forward a supply of food but I deeply regret to say that my stock of Indian meal is exhausted. I soon disposed of the three hundred barrels I had for the relief of the destitute. Almost the entire support of the poor strangers who crowd our city is thrown upon me. Eighteen hundred weight of Indian meal is daily cooked in my boilers. Next week, I must have double the quantity as the other public kitchens will be closed’.
Framed letter of Lord John Russell (1792-1878), Chatham Place, London, to Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC, re the grant of an annual pension of £300 from the Civil List as a mark of approbation for his work in combatting intemperance in Ireland.
Letter of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC to Mr. Martin referring to the latter’s emigration to the United States. The letter reads ‘Gratification at the prospect of you securing an honourable independence for yourself and your dear young family in the great and glorious Republic. Your education, talents, application to business and virtuous religious habits would ensure prosperity to you everywhere, except in our own impoverished, afflicted country. Here all classes are on the very verge of ruin, and in adopting the resolution of emigrating you are acting prudently’.
The sub-series contains an important collection of original temperance society medals. Most of the medals in the collection are associated with Fr. Mathew’s campaign but some relate to temperance activities before and after him. The Cork Total Abstinence Society’s medals were important because they served as important reminders of the pledge, and also as miniature temperance catechisms for the many illiterates who took the pledge. Fr. Mathew’s medals were large and inscribed with familiar religious symbolism. Most were of pewter, although some silver and gold medals were also available for particularly distinguished members. Generally, one side had the words of the pledge within a shining cross, together with Fr. Mathew’s name and the Society’s founding date (10 April 1838). The reverse depicted a well-dressed man, carrying a banner, ‘prosperity’, and a woman, ‘domestic comfort’, stood next to a lamb, surmounted by a cross and an angel. This scene was overlaid by the Latin phrase, In hoc signo vinces (‘by this sign shall you conquer’).
• Notes re the provenance of temperance medals held in the Irish Capuchin Archives. The text refers to a large gold medal (CA FM RES/9/3/6) with the following engraving on the rim: ‘P.P. Daly took the Total Abstinence Pledge, May 20th 1840’. It is affirmed that this medal was ‘bought from a jeweller, who was going to melt it, for £7’. Reference is also made to a large silver medal presented to the Capuchins by a Miss Gibson from Ballyglass in County Mayo. A cross, also gifted to the Capuchins by Miss Gibson, belonged to the Youghal Roman Catholic Total Abstinence and Religious Society founded on 19 May 1839. Another silver medal has a large green ribbon attached to it and was presented by a Miss Tobin, 13 Killarney Street, Dublin. A smaller silver medal is engraved on the rim: ‘Presented to L.S. Gore Jones by the Rev. T. Mathew’. It was given to Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. by Fr. Laurence Kelly, Catholic Curate, St. Michan’s Church, Halston Street, Dublin. [c.1915]. Manuscript and typescript, 8 pp. • Letters and notes re the provenance of temperance medals sent to the Capuchin friars. One of the letters to Fr. Maurice O’Dowd OFM Cap. refers to a medal gifted by a Mrs Lyons of 29 Clarence Street North. The letter states that ‘it belonged to her father-in-law Maurice Lyons who is dead over 40 years’. The letter is dated 10 Apr. 1938. Another note states that a medal given to Fr. Canice Bourke OFM Cap. by a Dr O’Mahony on 30 Aug. 1930 and was found ‘in a secret drawer belonging to his uncle the late Dr Shanahan’. Manuscript, 7 pp. • Newspaper cutting of an article by Michael Kenny titled ‘Discovering the National Museum’, 'Irish Times', 5 April 1981. The article refers to the National Museum’s collection of temperance medals and dies from which the medals were struck. The article reads ‘Given the great numbers enrolled it is hardly surprising that a huge number of medals were struck of widely varying design and legend. A few were struck in gold and silver, but the vast majority in bronze and white metal, particularly the latter. Many contemporary medallists were involved in their production … particularly Isaac Parkes of Dublin …’. With letters to the editor responding to Michael Kenny’s article. 5 Apr. 1981-19 Apr. 1981. Clipping, 5 pp.
A collection of Total Abstinence Society medals collected by Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. and other Capuchin friars. Most of the medals were sent to Fr. Angelus who duly recorded their provenance and source. The collection includes: • Silver medal ‘presented to Fr. Angelus by Miss Gibson, Ballyglass, County Mayo. It belonged to her grandfather, who had taken the pledge from Fr. Mathew. He was a convert, but she is of the opinion he had taken the Pledge whilst he was a Protestant’. • Silver cross of the Youghal Roman Catholic Total Abstinence Society founded by the Rev. John Foley on 1 May 1839. The obverse has the text of the pledge with the Latin phrase ‘In hoc signo vinces’. Two examples of the cross are extant. Fr. Angelus notes that one of the crosses was donated by Miss Gibson of County Mayo. • Silver medal of the Total Abstinence Society of the Sacred Thirst. The medal has a red ribbon and pin attachment. With annotated envelope by Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. • Silver medal of the Total Abstinence Society of Ireland. The medal is engraved on the rim ‘Presented to L.S. Gore Jones by The Rev. T. Mathew’. The medal was given to Fr. Angelus by Rev. Laurence Kelly CC, St. Michan’s Church, North Anne Street, Dublin. • Pewter medal of the Dublin Total Abstinence League founded in 1872. The inscription on the obverse reads ‘For / Glory to God / for example to man / safety / I promise with the Divine / Assistance to abstain / from all intoxicating / drinks and to / discountenance / the / liquor traffic’. The front has a side-profile view of Fr. Mathew. Fr. Angelus notes that the maker was Woodhouse, Dublin. • Pewter medal of the Total Abstinence Pledge. The front (face) shows the Good Shepherd. The outer-rim inscription reads ‘I have found the sheep that was lost Luke Chap. 15 v. 6’. The obverse: Cruciform text of pledge. The outer-rim inscription reads ‘The Dublin Total Abstinence Pledge The Very Revd. Dr. Spratt Patron 1840’. Fr. Angelus notes that the maker was J. Taylor.
A pledge medal of the Dublin Total Abstinence Association dating to 1840. The front (face) shows the Good Shepherd. The outer-rim inscription reads ‘I have found the sheep that was lost Luke Chap. 15 v. 6’. The obverse has a cruciform text of the pledge and reads: ‘I have voluntarily promised in the presence of the Revd. Dr. Spratt to abstain from all spiritous liquors and intoxicating drinks except used medicinally and then by order of a medical man and the discountenance of all the vices and practices of intemperance and also to attend to my religious duties’. The outer-rim inscription reads ‘The Dublin Total Abstinence Pledge The Very Revd. Dr. Spratt Patron 1840’. The maker of the medal was J. Taylor.
A collection of Total Abstinence Society medals collected by Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. and other Capuchin friars. • Silver medal of the Metropolitan Total Abstinence Society. The front (face) shows St. Michael with the winds and the inscription ‘Who is like God’. The obverse: Cruciform text of pledge. The outer-rim inscription reads ‘The Metropolitan Total Abstinence Society The Rev. A. O’Connell President. Inner rim reads ’26 Nov. 1839’. • Pewter medal of the Total Abstinence Society. Fr. Angelus notes that the medal is extremely worn and defaced. • Silver medal of the Total Abstinence Society of Ireland. Fr. Angelus notes that the maker was Woodhouse of Dublin. • Silver medal of the Total Abstinence Society of Ireland. Fr. Angelus notes that the maker was Jones of Dublin. A green ribbon is attached to the medal. An annotation on the covering envelope reads ‘Presented to Fr. Angelus by Miss Tobin, 13 Killarney Street, Dublin’. • Pewter medal of the Cork Total Abstinence Society. An annotation on the covering envelope reads ‘Presented to Fr. Angelus by Mr. Cosgrave’. The medal is very worn and defaced. • Pewter medal of St. Mary’s Temperance Society, Kilkenny. The medal is very worn and defaced. For more information on St. Mary’s Temperance Society see the 'Journal of the American Temperance Union', Vols. 1-4 (1837) at p. 190. It is noted that St. Mary’s Temperance Society has 1,300 members with 100 to 200 members meeting on the evening of the Sabbath under the spiritual direction of the Rev. J. P. O’Reilly. The medal was probably made by Isaac Parkes (b.c.1791-1870). See: http://www.libraryireland.com/irishartists/isaac-parkes.php • Pewter medal of the Cork Total Abstinence Society. A note attached to the medal reads ‘Lent by M.A. Rogan, 55 St. Patrick’s Road, Drumcondra’. The medal is very worn and defaced. • Silver temperance medal. A note in the covering envelope reads ‘Presented by Mr. W. O’Herlihy, 61 Gurranabraher Avenue, Cork, apparently inherited from his grandfather, a married daughter gave it to me. Fr. Nessan Shaw OFM Cap., 13 April 1982’. The medal is very worn and defaced.
Face (front): Profile view of the head of Fr. Mathew. Along outer edge: ‘The Father Mathew OSFC Total Abstinence Association’. Obverse: Cruciform formula of pledge: ‘From the / Great Glory of God/ and the/ Salvation / of souls / in honour of / the sacred thirst and agony of Jesus / and the sorrowful Heart of Mary / I promise / to abstain from all / intoxicating drinks during / my life / and thus / discourage / their use / in others’. Images in the four corners of the cross, clockwise, beginning with upper left: Heart surmounted by cross, entwined by crown of thorns, with drops of blood, Heart a fire pierced by sword, with drops of blood; harp; 3 shamrocks. Two of the medals have green ribbon and pin attachments.
