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Letters from Frank Ryan (Proinsias Ó Riain), An Cumann Gaelach, University College Dublin, to Br. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. re Irish language content in 'The Father Mathew Record' and corrections and emendations to the serial publication of ‘Scéal “Sheandúin”' (by Tadhg Ó Murchadha) in the periodical.

Letters from George Noble Plunkett (1851-1948), 40 Elgin Road, Dublin, to Fr. Henry Rope. The letters include references to Plunkett’s desire to establish an ‘Academy of Christian Art’ in Dublin, Catholic literature, Father Rope’s visits to the Plunkett residence, and to contemporary political matters and public affairs in both Britain and Ireland. A recurring theme in the correspondence is Plunkett’s continuing republican opposition to the post-Treaty settlement in Ireland. An extract from a letter
written on 21 November 1929 reads:

‘I don’t want to write about politics, but I remind you that “if you want peace, you must prepare for war”; and, that a resolute nation, whose spokesmen refuse to accept threats, generally secures its liberty. We had won, when [Arthur] Griffith and [Michael] Collins surrendered: I have been assured of this by well informed unionists. I doubt that any man today is slave enough to echo John O’Connell’s dictum. “Nuff ced”, as the Yankees put it.
I think you asked me why we are for a Republic. Well, how otherwise could we get rid of a foreign King? And a “class” Upper House”? And the tradition of Heaven-born Ministers? We are republicans because we are a nation of aristocrats, and so all equal; a true democracy.
My pen is running dry.
Yours very sincerely,
G.N. Count Plunkett
To be continued in our next’.

The file also includes some letters from George Noble Plunkett’s wife (Josephine Plunkett née Cranny), and daughter Mary Plunkett. The letter from Mary Plunkett refers to the death of Count Plunkett. It reads ‘The poor old man was in bed for more than three years. We expected that he would go very quickly. Instead of that he was dying for twelve days. The poor old body was worn out, but that strong valiant spirit held on. He suffered a lot, so much that we prayed that God would take him. The end was very quiet’. (5 May 1948). A letter to Fr. Senan Moynihan from Fr. Henry Rope in this file refers to his donation of Plunkett's correspondence ‘for your Archives, which may also one day be of historical interest’. He also notes that he has given some of his correspondence with Count Plunkett to Saint Isidore’s College in Rome. (20 Dec. 1951)

Letters to Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. from Gertrude Parry, Rockport, Cushendun, County Antrim, re the life of her cousin Roger Casement. She thanks Moynihan for sending copies of the ‘beautiful and artistic Capuchin Annual’. She adds ‘I was so glad to read the articles about my beloved cousin, Roger Casement. There are two slight errors. His birthday was Sept. 1st not 15th Sept. and his eyes were grey not brown, real Irish eyes’. The other letter (dated 16 October) provides a long biographical account of Casement’s life and career (23 pp). An extract of the text reads: ‘He [Casement] left Ireland in 1914 (June) to collect funds in America for the arming of the Volunteers. Whilst he was there the war broke out. This put a stop to his activities over the Volunteers and he then turned his thoughts to trying to keep Ireland out of the war. He realised that the quarrel with Germany did not concern Ireland and in joining in it, she would only be sacrificing the flower of her young men to fight England’s cause’. The file includes a cover annotated by Fr. Senan. It reads ‘Notes on Roger Casement by Mrs Parry’.

Letters to Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. from grand-nephews of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. The file includes letters from Fr. David Mathew, Theobald Mathew KC, and Fr. Gervase Mathew OP. The letters refer to the genealogy and family history of Fr. Theobald, to temperance souvenirs and mementos of his held in Holy Trinity Church, Cork, to draft letters composed by Fr. Theobald, to a portrait photograph of Fr. Theobald taken in c.1850, and invitations to various Father Mathew Centenary celebrations in Dublin. A letter of David Mathew (22 Jan. 1929) refers to the donation of Fr. Theobald’s chalice, paten and cruets to Holy Trinity Church. They were donated by Theobald Mathew Esq., KC, Recorder of Margate. In another letter (24 Feb. 1929), Fr. Stanislaus wrote ‘We have no letters written by any relative of Father Mathew to him or about him. We have in our Archives five letters written by him to members of the Order; nine that he wrote to his brother Charles, and his will of Nov. 21, 1849. We have several letters besides signed “Theobald Mathew”, but they were written by his secretary in his name, and are not in his handwriting’. A letter from Theobald Mathew refers to vestments belonging to the Apostle of Temperance in his possession (5 July 1936). The file also includes newspaper cuttings with a photographic print of the aforementioned chalice and paten belonging to Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC which were donated to Holy Trinity Church. 'Cork Examiner', 16 Oct. 1928; 'The Father Mathew Record', Dec. 1928.

Letters from John Earley, stained glass artist and church decorator, Upper Camden Street, Dublin, regarding the design and installation of windows and door panels at the Capuchin Church and Friary, Walkin Street, Kilkenny. The file includes letters to Fr. Jarlath Hynes OSFC, Fr. Berchmans Cantillon OSFC and Messrs Ashlin & Coleman, architects. Other works referred to include the erection of a tabernacle and canopy over the altar and a pulpit ‘made of the best selected Sicilian marble …’.

Letters from Kathleen Clarke (wife of Tom Clarke), 15 Barrington Street, Limerick, to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., mostly concerning family news. She also wrote: ‘Limerick does not agree with me. I am tired all the time here. I have an unsettled feel here too … . I find it hard to realise that my home and everything is gone, the only thing left is hope, and if our hopes for Ireland’s future are fulfilled the sacrifices will have been worth the making’. She also refers to Ernest Blythe: ‘We had hoped for better for him. I suppose he is left Arbour Hill by this and there would be no use in writing to him

Letters from Mary MacSwiney (Máire Nic Shuibhne, 1872-1942) to Fr. Henry Rope. Two of the letters are copies (Rope notes that the copies were made in 1947 and that he deposited the originals in the archives of the Pontifical Irish College in Rome). One of the copy letters (dated 21 Nov. 1922) refers to Mary MacSwiney’s treatment by the Free State authorities. It reads ‘The hardest part of my trial here is being deprived of the Sacraments as I have not succeeded in finding a priest who will be satisfied to hear the confession of my sins and let my political convictions alone’. The original letter (26 Oct. 1930) refers to the ‘terrible airship disaster’ involving R 101, a British rigid airship. The disaster claimed the lives of forty-eight of the fifty-four people on board including Fr. Henry Rope’s younger brother, Squadron Leader Frederick Michael Rope.

Letters from Michael Knightly (1888-1965), the government’s Chief Press Censor, to Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. Knightly’s letter refers to the prohibition on the publication of images of coastal locations (such as Cobh, Mizen Head, and Portstewart Strand) and to restrictions on information received from foreign ‘wireless’ (telegraph or radio) sources.

Letters from Sinéad de Valera to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., asking for a ‘national novena to the Sacred Heart’. She declares that she has ‘had a letter from Dev this morning. They have had no Sunday mass since they left Ireland. He served Mass on Corpus Christi but that was the only day they had Mass’. She relays De Valera’ request that luxury items such as sweets should not be sent to republican prisoners and suggests that ‘some little committee could be formed to collect the money which would otherwise be expended on postage …’. She adds ‘Please don’t let Eamonn’s name be associated with it as I know he would not like his remark about the luxuries to go around. He has a dislike to being considered a vaitin and his remark might be misunderstood’. In the letter of 24 May 1918 she refers to her anxiety over ‘the midnight raid and Saturday’s paper’. She added: ‘Dev is in Gloucester prison. I had a message from the Governor saying to send on some clothes’.

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’.