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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 Father Mathew pavilion at the Cork exhibition was visited by thousands of people. Among the objects exhibited that once belonged to Father Mathew was the old altar from Blackamoor Lane, where the Father’s chapel and poor dwelling were. His vestments were in a case nearby, his little piano, walking-stick, chairs, tables, clock, portraits innumerable; the banner carried in his first temperance procession; temperance medals worn by Father Mathew himself or received from his hand; in fact, hundreds of treasured mementos of a great and good man’.
Source: 'The Sacred Heart Review', 28, No. 22 (29 Nov. 1902), p. 12.
The 'Official Guide to the Cork International Exhibition' can be read at http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/history/corktradeexhibitions/uploadexhibition/croppedpdfs/1902_guide.pdf
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An interior view of the Father Mathew Pavilion at the Cork International Exhibition of 1902. The image shows a decorated altar with candlesticks, bells and books. A large portrait painting of Fr. Mathew is visible on the rear wall.
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A lantern slide showing a print of a banquet in honour of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. The print is captioned 'Temperance banquet in Cork, 1840' and is taken from 'The Illustrated London News', February, 1840.
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A view of St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin, from a slightly elevated position. The print shows the building before the addition of the Sacred Heart Chapel which was built as an aisle church in 1908. The caption refers to the ordination of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC (1790-1856) in the previous chapel on Church Street in 1809. With cover. A duplicate of this image is extant at CA-PH-1-35-A.
Biographical information on Denis Santry (1879-1960) can be found at https://www.dia.ie/architects/view/6886/SANTRY-DENIS
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A lantern slide showing a print of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC addressing a committee. The print is captioned ‘Here goes, in the name of God!, Fr. Mathew inaugurates the temperance campaign on 10 April 1838'. The drawing is by Denis Santry (1879-1960).
This drawing appeared in Fr. Thomas Dowling OSFC, 'The Great Temperance Apostle, Fr. Theobald Mathew', (Cork, 1902).
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An photographic image of an original temperance certificate signed by Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC dated 25 April 1840. The print is by Mayne, Lord Edward Street, Dublin.
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A view of Queenstown (now Cobh), County Cork, from the harbour. Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC died in Queenstown on 8 December 1856. St. Colman’s Cathedral is prominent in the image. The cathedral is still lacking the octagonal limestone spire. Construction on the Cathedral began in 1868 but work on the spire did not commence until 1911 and was eventually completed in 1914.
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A view of ‘Cove Lane, Cork. The home of Fr. Theobald Mathew’. The plate is captioned.
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A view of the interior of the Father Mathew Pavilion at the Cork International Exhibition of 1902. The image shows a large decorative banner and models of Holy Trinity Church in Cork, and Thomastown Castle, County Tipperary, the childhood home of Fr. Mathew. The plate is captioned.
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An interior view of St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin. The view shows the high altar and stained-glass windows.
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A view of the statue of Fr. Theobald Mathew, the ‘Apostle of Temperance’, on Sackville Street (later O’Connell Street), Dublin. Tram lines are visible so the image can be dated to sometime after c.1896.
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A lantern slide of a colour print showing Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC administering the pledge on the steps of The Custom House in Dublin. The plate is by T. Mason, 5 Dame Street, Dublin.
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A view of a large crowd at the centenary celebrations for the birth of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC in Cork on 10 October 1890. The location is Holy Trinity Church which was originally commissioned by Fr. Mathew in 1825. The principal speaker at the celebration was Sir John Pope Hennessy (1834-91), a Cork-born MP and British colonial administrator who had previously served as governor of Hong Kong. He is visible in the centre of the crowded platform, standing with arms folded. In his speech, Hennessy referred to the part that Fr. Mathew had played in improving the conditions of the working population of Cork.
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A photograph of an autograph letter from Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC to John O’Connell conveying his sympathies on the death of his father (Daniel O’Connell). The letter is dated 4 June 1847. The plate by Mayne, Lord Edward Street, Dublin.
The original letter is extant in the Correspondence of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC held in the Irish Capuchin Archives. Identifier: CA-FM-COR-2210.
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A view of the archway leading to the grave of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC in St Joseph’s Cemetery, Cork. A solitary woman kneels at the cross above the grave.
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An interior view of the Father Mathew Pavilion at the Cork International Exhibition in 1902. The image shows what appears to be a model of the Father Mathew Statue on St. Patrick's Street in Cork by John Henry Foley (1818-1874), various vestments, a bust of Father Mathew, and other paraphernalia.
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A view of a portrait of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC (in old age). The portrait shows Fr. Mathew in traditional nineteenth-century clerical attire.
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A view of a temperance demonstration on Sackville (O'Connell) Street in Dublin. A large crowd is assembled in front of a packed platform draped in a large banner reading ‘Ireland Sober Ireland Free’. Fr. Aloysius Travers OSFC is seated in the front row on the platform.
There is a significant ink mark towards the top of the plate resulting in some minor loss to the image.
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A plate showing a portrait of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC (as a younger man). The portrait shows Fr. Mathew in traditional nineteenth-century clerical attire with a temperance medal pinned to his breast.
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The official unveiling of the statue of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC on Sackville (later O’Connell) Street on 8 February 1893. The statue was designed by Mary Redmond (1863-1930).
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An image of a temperance banner from the ‘Father Mathew Total Abstinence Association, Church Street. IRELAND SOBER IS IRELAND FREE!’. The banner was printed by An Clú Cumann, Limited, Gaelic Printers, Great Strand Street, Dublin.
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A view of the statue of Father Mathew (designed by John Henry Foley) on St. Patrick’s Street, Cork. Tram lines are visible in the background.
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An image of Fr. Thomas Dowling OSFC (1874-1951) standing outside the entrance to the Father Mathew Pavilion at the Cork International Exhibition in 1902.
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A plate of a print titled ‘Father Mathew addressing a temperance meeting in London’. The plate by T. Mayne & Son, Dublin. The original print shows Fr. Mathew preaching in London in 1843 taken from 'The Illustrated London News' (August 1843).
Biographical information on Denis Santry (1879-1960) can be found at https://www.dia.ie/architects/view/6886/SANTRY-DENIS
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A lantern slide showing a print of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC giving a blessing to Daniel O’Connell. The plate is by T. Mayne & Son, Dublin. The drawing is by Denis Santry (1879-1960).
The image was published in Fr. Thomas Dowling OSFC, 'The Great Temperance Apostle, Fr. Theobald Mathew' (Cork, 1902).
It is noted in the text that on 'On March 28th, Daniel O’Connell, wearing his robe of office as Lord Mayor of Dublin, took part in a Temperance Procession in Cork. On separating from the Procession, he reverently knelt to receive Father Mathew’s blessing’.
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A plate showing a print of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC departing Cork for his American temperance campaign in 1848. The print is taken from 'The Illustrated London News'. The plate is by T. Mayne & Son, Dublin.
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A plate showing a sketch of Thomastown Castle in County Tipperary, the birthplace of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. The sketch is by Denis Santry (1879-1960).
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A plate showing a print of a temperance-related demonstration around the statue of Fr. Theobald Mathew on St. Patrick's Street in Cork. The plate is by T. Mayne & Son, Dublin.
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Two plates showing exterior views of Holy Trinity (Father Mathew Memorial) Church in Cork. One of the plates is by Mayne, Lord Edward Street, Dublin.
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A plate showing a print of the unveiling of the Father Mathew statue (designed by John Henry Foley) on St. Patrick's Street, Cork, in October 1864.
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An image of a printed certificate of membership for the Young Irish Crusaders’ temperance organisation.
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An image of a print titled: ‘Shadows of the Past’. The print shows a silhouette of Fr. Mathew administering the temperance pledge to John Francis Maguire MP (1815-1872).
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An image of a print showing the deathbed scene of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC in Queenstown, County Cork, on 8 December 1856. The plate is by Mayne, Lord Edward Street, Dublin.
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A plate showing a print of Cardinal Paul Cullen (1803-1878), Archbishop of Dublin. The plate is by Mayne, Lord Edward Street, Dublin
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A lantern slide of a print titled ‘the historical tree of Ireland’. The print shows Daniel O’Connell addressing Erin and a cleric (most likely Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC) delivering a blessing at the base of a tree. The tree itself is inscribed with notable events in Irish and British history such as 'Cromwell's Usurpation'.
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A plate showing an image of a printed and unsigned certificate of the Father Mathew Total Abstinence Association.
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A plate showing an image of a temperance advocacy poster. It reads ‘If whiskey interferes with your business – give up your business / No use trying to do two things at once’.
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A plate showing a print of a large banquet. The banquet seemingly had a temperance connection. No identifying caption is extant.