This series comprises a small collection of glass plate negative images of seventeenth century manuscripts and other original records pertaining to the lives, ministries, and writings of several early Irish Capuchins. These were acquired by Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. (1875-1953) and Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. (1876-1965), another prominent Irish Capuchin historian, for research and publication purposes.
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.
The series comprises photographic glass plates with descriptions derived principally from annotations and captions on their original containers, boxes and covers.
The series includes records relating to general missions, retreats and tridua given by the Capuchin friars to parishes, lay confraternities, sodalities and associations, working men’s clubs, and (particularly) religious congregations and societies. The series contains administrative records including mission lists, schedules and reports. A large assemblage of correspondence is also extant.
The series includes records relating to temperance missions preached by the Irish Capuchin friars in the late nineteenth century and in the early years of the twentieth century. In October 1905 the Irish Catholic hierarchy called upon the Capuchins to undertake a nationwide temperance crusade. The friars preached dozens of temperance missions in parishes throughout the country. It was noted in 1912 that their ‘labours in the parishes partook much of the character of short missions or spiritual exercises, sometimes for three days, often times for a week, and not infrequently a fortnight … going from parish to parish, as consecutively as possibly, over a district. Experience proves that in the question of drink, the influence of one locality tells very much for good or for evil’ (CA MR-1-2-1-4). The series includes local mission reports, subscription and pledge-taking records, correspondence, publicity material, ephemera and newspaper reports relating to the temperance crusade.
