Newspaper cuttings book compiled and annotated by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. Printed stamp on inside front cover: ‘Franciscan Capuchin Library, Church Street, Dublin’. The volume includes: • Report on the celebration of the centenary of Father Mathew and proposed completion of Holy Trinity Church [c.1890]. • Obituary of Fr. Bernard Jennings OSFC and tribute by Cork Corporation, 'Cork Examiner' 21 Dec. 1904; 'Freeman’s Journal', 27 Dec. 1904. • Report on the blessing of the new bell at Holy Trinity Church. 24 July 1881. • The jubilee celebrations at Holy Trinity Church, Charlotte Quay, Cork ('Cork Examiner', 18 Feb. 1902). • Retreat for Third Order at Holy Trinity Church ('Cork Examiner', 20 Mar. 1916). • Father Mathew Chalice donated to Holy Trinity Church ('Cork Examiner', 16 Oct. 1928). • The ordination of six Capuchin friars as priests including Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. in Holy Trinity Church. • Damage to Holy Trinity Church by ‘English bullets’ and a reference to the tradition of Capuchin support for the Irish independence struggle (7 Oct. 1920). • The close of the mission in Holy Trinity Church (15 Mar. 1926). • Reports of damage to Holy Trinity Church during disturbances involving the British military (5 Oct. 1920); Fr. Dominic O’Connor’s recitation of the Rosary for political prisoners held Cork County Gaol (8 May 1920). • The funeral (with photographic print) of Fr. Martin Hyland OFM Cap. at Holy Trinity Church, Cork. (3 Apr. 1933). • Funeral of Br. Louis Daly OFM Cap. in Holy Trinity Church.
Newspaper clippings relating to the Irish Revolution assembled by the editors of 'The Capuchin Annual'. Many of the clippings relate to the role played by the Catholic clergy (particularly the Irish Capuchins) during this period. The file includes: • An article referring to remarks made by Rev. W.P. Burke in relation to the moral justification of wars. It reads ‘who can call the wretched Dublin business a war? It was backed neither by the mind nor strength of the country’. 'Nationality', 9 June 1917. • ‘A German Plot’. 'Cork Examiner', 18 May 1918. • ‘Sinn Feiners and the German Plot’. 25 May 1918. • ‘Salute the Heroes / Back from the Gates of Death’. The article refers to the release of republican prisoners from Mountjoy Jail and to the roles played by Fr. Augustine Hayden OFM Cap. and Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. The article reads ‘The association of these two much loved Irish Franciscan Friars with the last moments of some of the men who died after the Insurrection of 1916 was recalled by their presence yesterday. … Father Augustine appealed to the crowds whom his voice could reach to be calm. He reminded them that the prisoners were very weak, and he appealed to his hearers to maintain order while they were passing through and to obey their Volunteers’. 'Freeman’s Journal', 15 Apr. 1920. • ‘The Prisoners Released’. The article refers to the role played by Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. in securing the release of sixty-eight republican prisoners in Dublin. 'Catholic Times', 17 Apr. 1920. • ‘Ireland a Nation / The Government’s Perfidies and Outrages’. The article refers to Fr. Augustine Hayden OFM Cap. and Fr. Matthew O’Connor OFM Cap. 'Freeman’s Journal', 11 May 1921. • ‘Obsequies of Rev. James O’Callaghan’. 28 May 1921. A clipping of a photograph showing the funeral of Fr. James O’Callaghan who was killed on 15 May 1920. 'Cork Examiner', 28 May 1921. • ‘Miltown Park Raid’ / Large Forces Surround Jesuit House of Studies’. 'Freeman’s Journal', 21 Feb. 1921. • ‘The Priest Killers / Mrs De Roiste describes night of murder / Father [Seamus/James] O’Callaghan’s Assassin’. 'Catholic Herald', 4 June 1921. • ‘Priest Arrested / President of St. Flannan’s College in Custody’. 'Evening Herald', 6 July 1921. • ‘One way to peace / Stop Repression & Recognise Ireland’s Rights / Irish Bishops’ Statement. 'Evening Telegraph', 22 June 1921. • ‘The Men of 1916 / Impressive march through streets of Dublin / Graveside tributes’. The article refers to a Memorial Mass offered for the leaders of the 1916 Rising at St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin. 'Freeman’s Journal', 25 Apr. 1922.
The 'Irish Bulletin' was the official daily gazette of the government of the Irish Republic. The first edition of the 'Bulletin' appeared on 11 Nov. 1919 shortly after the suppression of the entire republican press. The purpose of the 'Bulletin' was succinctly stated in the edition of 11 Nov. 1920 (Vol. 6 No. 17). ‘When it became certain that the majority party in Ireland was not to be proclaimed “illegal” the "Bulletin" had of necessity to be published secretly. It was designed to circulate principally not in Ireland but among the publicists in England and on the Continent. At its inception less than fifty copies were printed. To-day it reaches almost every country in the world and is reprinted in four European languages. It is received by the press, public men, and the leading political and other organisations of many nations’. The 'Bulletin' was published daily but weekly editions containing summaries of ‘acts of aggression committed in Ireland by the military and police of the usurping English government’ were also routinely circulated. These weekly summaries were not assigned volume or issue numbers. Daily issues consisted mainly of sometimes detailed lists of raids by British security forces and the arrests of republican suspects. Extracts from foreign publications and sometimes sympathetic English sources were also published in the 'Bulletin'. Accounts of the activities of Dáil Courts were likewise included. It was produced by the republican publicity department during the War of Independence, and its offices were located at 6 Harcourt Street, Dublin. On 26 Mar. 1921, after sixteen months of publication, the offices of the 'Bulletin' were raided. Later, forged issues of the journal were produced with printing machinery and paper captured in the offices. These fabricated issues were sent to all the usual addresses on the list of recipients, a copy of which had also been seized. Issues of these forged 'Bulletins' were subsequently circulated for over a month. The paper’s first editor was Desmond Fitzgerald, until his arrest and replacement by Robert Erskine Childers. The collection includes a chronological record of peace overtures which would eventually lead to the Treaty negotiations. The issue of 7 Dec. 1921 (Vol. 6, No. 35) carried an ‘advance copy’ of the articles of agreement between Great Britain and Ireland, more commonly known as ‘The Treaty’. Many of the issues of the 'Irish Bulletin' are stamped ‘Official Copy’.
‘Charles Letts’s Small Octavo Diary and Note Book’. A daily record diary of Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap., Church Street, Dublin. Routine entries record the ministries and day-to-day activities of various Capuchin friars. The diary also chronicles the detention and trial of Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. An entry on 5 Jan. 1921 reads: ‘Fr. Dominic OSFC notified today in Kilmainham Prison of his approaching Court Martial and told to see his solicitor’. Other entries in the diary refer to the activities of British military forces in the wake of an upsurge in Republican attacks. On 16 Jan. Fr. Stanislaus wrote ‘The front portion of our Church and whole street closed with barbed wire. … This was done in early hours of morning. Many unable to go to Mass to day. House to house search by military. Show’s the respect of the English government for the Lord’s day’. Fr. Dominic’s transfer ‘under heavy escort’ to Kingstown for the boat to take him to Wormwood Scrubs Prison was recorded on 31 Jan. 1921. On 13 February, Fr. Stanislaus noted that the Capuchin Friary in Kilkenny was ‘raided by the Black and Tans in their usual rough fashion’. A loose page in the file summarizes some key events in 1921. Reference is made to the court martial in Kilmainham Jail of Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. Other events mentioned in the 1921 summary include military raids in Kilkenny (13 February), the imposition of a curfew order (4 March), the executions of the Irish Volunteers (Thomas Bryan, Frank Flood, Bernard Ryan, Patrick Doyle, Patrick Moran and Thomas Whelan) in Mountjoy Jail on 14 March, the death of Archbishop William Walsh (9 April), and the burning of the Custom House in Dublin following an attack by the Irish Republican Army (25 May).
The fonds consists of the correspondence and papers of Capuchin friars detailing their involvement with participants in the national struggle. The majority of the material dates from 1916-1925 and includes many records highlighting the roles played by Irish Capuchins in ministering to republican leaders and their relations. Of particular interest is a large collection of prison letters including the correspondence of some of the leading figures of the Irish Revolution. The fonds also contains a large collection of republican publicity material, newspapers and miscellaneous items of ephemera and artefacts mostly relating to the military and political campaign organised by nationalists for Irish independence. A smaller collection relating to the repatriation of the bodies of Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. and Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. from the United States to Ireland in 1958 is also extant.
A bound volume containing printed copies of block pulls for photographs and illustrations published in 'The Capuchin Annual' and in 'The Father Mathew Record'. The volume is titled ‘Letter Book’ (gilt-title to spine) and contains carbon-paper pages. The volume includes a wide variety of copy images and illustrations: • Photographs by T.J. Molloy. • Buildings and scenes in Dublin. • Drawings by Seán MacManus (p. 57). • Ships and nautical imagery. • Aircraft. • Irish mythological characters and imagery. • Christmas and nativity scenes (pp 122, 141). • Illustrations from the Irish Revolution (pp 79, 112, 113). • Drawings by Richard King. • Children and cartoon characters. • The interior of Father Mathew Hall, Cork (p. 122). • Irish Capuchin missionaries in Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia). • Ard Mhuire Capuchin Friary, County Donegal. • Author and contributor photographs. • Portraits of Irish Capuchin friars. • Bishop Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. • Illustrations of Franciscan life by Fr. Gerald McCann OFM Cap. • Bust of Fr. Theobald Mathew by John Hogan (p. 336).
A collection of pamphlets and reports covering the national movement principally from c.1915-1921. The sub-series comprises printed ephemera such as fliers, handbills, and other publications.
