Letter from Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. to Fr. Mark McDonnell OFM Cap. Guardian, Capuchin Friary, Church Street, Dublin. Fr. Dominic refers to the existence of archives relating to the early history of the Irish Province extant in the Capuchin General Archives in Rome. He wrote: ‘the opinion was growing stronger in my mind … as I was advancing in the MSS that there must be a report of the Commissary Provincial about date 1711 in our own Archives in Rome and possibly also in the Propaganda ones. Perhaps a copy may be found even in Milan as many manuscripts were sent the Historian General of the Order at one time’. With cover.
Letter from Joseph W. Cleary, National Education Office, to Fr. Mark McDonnell OSFC, Church Street, enclosing a printed draft of the rules (particularly in respect of funding) for Evening National Schools. With a letter from P.E. Lemass to Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC informing him that St. Francis’ Male Evening School has been recognised by the Office of National Education. Also includes a memorandum noting that St. Francis’ School has received a capitation grant of £15 15s 0d from the Commissioners of Education.
Letter from the Most Reverend Henry Henry, Bishop of Down and Connor, to [Fr. Mark McDonnell OSFC], referring to a request made by one of his Belfast priests to establish a Boys’ Brigade similar to the one founded on Church Street. Archbishop Henry asks for a copy of the rules and inquires whether ‘the results produced would justify the expenditure of time and trouble and I suppose funds’.
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 William Mooney & Sons, solicitors, 16 Fleet Street, Dublin, to Fr. Mark McDonnell OSFC regarding the possession of properties held by John Butterly in May Lane and their transfer to the lay trustees of the Catholic Boys’ Brigade, Dublin.
Statement of special account signed by Fr. Mark McDonnell OSFC, guardian, Capuchin Friary, Church Street. The statement refers to monies given by the Church Street community to the Provincial fund; to Rochestown; and towards repayment on the ‘American loan’; and to monies received from ‘street collections since Chapter to the end of March’. An annotation in Fr. Mark’s hand reads: ‘Debt in bank at the Visitation, Apr. 1922, £2,330 5s 3d’.
