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Special Collections and Archives

Archival Collections

The Special Collections and Archives library guide which provides information about the contents of our collections and details of how to access and consult material. These collections are open to staff and students, researchers and members of the public.

Maynooth Archives

Special Collections and Archives is a collecting repository that acquires and administers archival collections of private origin. These collections include the papers of academics, writers and other professionals, as well as documents of local interest.

Please note only fully processed collections are available for research and collections can only be consulted in the Special Collections and Archives reading room. For additional information please contact the archivists Róisín Berry & Ciara Joyce

They can be contacted on library.specialcollections@mu.ie

The Desmond Forristal Archive (PP1)

The Reverend Desmond Forristal (1930-2012) was known for his work as a scholar, author, playwright, and TV producer. The Forristal documents reflect his involvement in both religious and literary circles, and include correspondence, essays, lectures, audio visual material, scripts, research notebooks, reviews, sheet music, programmes, invoices, music catalogues, photographs and press coverage relating to Forristal’s work.

The Peadar Ó Laoghaire Archive (PP3)

Peadar Ó Laoghaire (Peter O' Leary) (1839 -1920), was born in the Gaeltacht in Liscarrigane, County Cork. He studied for the priesthood in Maynooth and was ordained in 1867. He had a passion for two things: Catholicism as fundamentally ingrained in Irish identity and the Irish language. This collection includes his literary writings, translations of the bible and his work on Irish grammar.

The Teresa Deevy Archive (PP6)

Irish playwright Teresa Deevy (1894-1963) is known principally for her work with the Abbey Theatre in the 1930s. This collection consists of a selection of documents relating to Deevy’s work and legacy and includes correspondence, theatre programmes and scripts, some of which are heavily annotated by Deevy. In addition the collection includes newspaper cuttings and reviews and copies of some of the published works Deevy contributed to.

The Muiris Kavanagh Archive (PP8)

Muiris ‘Kruger' Kavanagh (1894–1971), publican and raconteur, was born in 1894 at Baile na Ratha, Dún Chaoin, Co. Kerry. He spent a number of years in America before returning home to open his famous guesthouse, Krugers, where he entertained poets, writers and scholars, as well as film and television stars, with his larger than life personality and his talent for storytelling. The archive includes letters to Kavanagh from friends on a wide variety of topics including, his time in America, poetry and visits to the guesthouse, as well as some official letters regarding the guesthouse and the Irish Tourist Board.

The Pearse Hutchinson Archive (PP10)

This collection consists of the papers of distinguished multilingual writer Pearse Hutchinson (1927-2012). It includes family papers and photographs, drafts of Hutchinson’s poetry, both published and unpublished, his translations of the work of Catalan and Galician writers, correspondence, scripts for Hutchinson’s radio programme Óró Domhnaigh and his weekly magazine column Tagairt, which ran for twenty seven years.

The (William) Denis Johnston Collection (PP34)

The (William) Denis Johnston Collection contains seven letters written between October 1937 and June 1938. Apart from one document, the letters were written by Irish journalist, playwright, barrister, and broadcaster (William) Denis Johnston (1901-1984), to American playwright and screenwriter William Kozlenko (1907-1984). Kozlenko was known primarily for his work as a playwright at this time and was a founding editor of One-Act Magazine, and co-founder of the One-Act Repertory Theatre. The Johnston letters address a range of different subjects, including the suitability of works by Irish playwrights for publication in Kozlenko's magazine. The collection contains a letter by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy. 

The George Lawrence Archive (PP14)

Series of conveyances and legal documents relating to George Lawrence, a Dublin cabinetmaker and his premises on Grafton Street, Dublin. This collection dates from 1781 to 1818.

The Sadleir Archive (PP18)

This archive consists of 34 letters written by John Sadleir (1813-1856), M.P and Banker, to his colleague Michael Dunne (J.P and M.P. 1850-1865), of Stradbally, county Laois. The letters concern both national and local politics, including Sadleir's appointment to the junior ministry, the Tenant League's efforts to see him defeated in the election, the introduction of income tax to Ireland and Gladstone's budget.

The Ua Maoileoin Archive (PP20)

Pádraig Ua Maoileoin (1913-2002) was a novelist, poet, translator and editor. The archive contains letters, drafts of his work, photographs and reviews. The language used is almost exclusively Irish. This a digital collection.

The Ua Buachalla Archive (PP26)

Domhnall Ua Buachalla (1866-1963) was a merchant, fluent Irish language speaker and politician from Maynooth, county Kildare. He organised the Maynooth branch of the Gaelic League and was a member of the Irish Volunteers. Ua Buachalla took part in the 1916 Rising and subsequently spent time in Frongoch internment camp. He was elected as a member of Sinn Féin in 1918. The archive contains material relating to his role in the Gaelic League, the Irish Volunteers and in Irish politics. This is a digital collection.

Archive Gallery

PP10 Pearse Hutchinson at his home ‘Findrum’ in Rathgar Road

The Wardell Archive (PP2)

The Wardell Archive consists of the papers of the Wardell family, a landed family with a long tradition of serving in the military and with connections in Canada, Britain and Ireland. The collection, dating from the nineteenth century includes letters, photographs and sketches of camps and battlefields from the Anglo-Zulu war in South –Africa. The collection also includes papers of Professor John Wardell (1878 -1957) (TCD) including his research into the family history.

The Sean O’Faolain Archive (PP4)

This collection, donated to the library in 2008 by Munira Hamud Mutran, Professor of Literature in English at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, consists of a series of letters from Irish writer Sean O’Faolain (1900-1991) to Mutran over a fourteen year period from 1973.

The Ken Saro-Wiwa Archive (PP7)

This collection consists of the letters of Nigerian writer, TV producer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa (1941-1995), to Irish nun, Sister Majella McCarron (OLA), smuggled out of military detention, during his imprisonment by the Nigerian government. The archive includes letters, poems, video cassettes, photographs and newspaper clippings, donated by Sister Majella McCarron.

The Rorke Archive (PP9)

The Rorke Archive contains 16 items which are all legal documents relating to the ownership and leasing of lands in Clondalkin in County Dublin, in Carrickphierish in County Waterford, and in Collin in County Kildare. They date from 1822 until 1918.

The Burrowes Archive (PP13)

A collection of deeds and indentures relating to the Borrows or Burrows family (Sir Walter, Sir Kildare & descendants) of Gilltown, Co. Kildare and their property in Kildare, Dublin & Queen’s County. Dated between 1720 and 1840, this collection includes leases, mortgages, tenancies and a marriage settlement.

The Molyneux Archive (PP15)

A collection of deeds relating to the Molyneux family of Castle Dillon, Co. Armagh, including Sir Capel Molyneux, 3rd Bartonet (died 1797), his son Sir Capel Molyneux, 4th Baronet (died 1832) and his cousin Sir Thomas Molyneux, 5th Baronet (died 1841). Consists of leases, mortgages and a marriage settlement and dating from 1674 to 1850.

The Belmont Mills Archive (PP17)

Established in 1760, the Belmont Mill is in the town of Belmont, County Offaly. This collection consists of the archival papers of the mill during its ownership by the Perry family from 1854 to 1997. Documents include family and business correspondence, employee records and financial accounts.

The Niamh Bhreathnach Archive (PP21)

Niamh Bhreathnach (born 1945) is a former Labour politician who served as a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 1992 until 1997 and Minister for Education from 1993 until 1997. She also took on various other public service roles. The archive relates to the public life of the former Labour politician and Minster for Education during the 1990s, and consists of speeches, press statements, and press cuttings from this period.

The Hibernian Bible Society Archive (PP25)

The Hibernian Bible Society (HBS) (later the National Bible Society of Ireland (NBSI)), founded in 1806, was based in Bible House, 10 Upper Sackville Street, Dublin, until 1922. The archive contains material relating to the foundation and activities of the society. It consists of minute books, annual reports, financial reports and a series of lectures that were held by the NBSI called the Bedell-Boyle Lectures. There are also letters from Robert Boyle to Archbishop Narcissus Marsh on microfilm, from 1682 until 1685.

The Marquess of Sligo Archive (PP33)

The Marquess of Sligo archive consists of a series of letters from the 2nd Marquess, Howe Peter Browne (1788-1845), to his mother, Lady Louisa Catherine Howe (1767-1817), between 1809 and 1815, as well as several letters to other friends and acquaintances. They record two trips taken by Sligo: on a Grand Tour in the Mediterranean from December 1809 to August 1811 and in Europe from October 1813 to April 1815, following the allied armies in the Napoleonic Wars.  The collection also includes several letters by Sligo’s solicitor, written in 1841 and letters from American abolitionist, Jacob Harvey.

The Quaker Archive (PP35)

The Quaker Archive consists of a series of letters between members of the Grubb family of Clonmel, county Tipperary and their relations the Shackleton and Leadbeater families of Ballitore, county Kildare, dating from 1769 - 1829. It includes letters from renowned poet and memoirist Mary Leadbeater (1758-1826) and her sister Margaret Grubb (1751-1829) of the Grubbs of Clonmel, a prosperous family of millers and merchants.  

The Bloomfield Maps (PP36)

Maps of the estate of the Right honourable Benjamin Lord Baron Bloomfield in the King's county and county Tipperary, surveyed by Samson Carter and Martin H. Carroll. Includes colour maps showing land divisions, land use and features such as gardens, houses, and castles as well as bog and forestry. Each map book includes decorative cartouches with map titles, fleur-de-lis and decorative birds, index pages and map reference sheets showing the tenants names and the size of their holdings.

The Kilcock Lease (PP16)

Two leases between Robert Fyan of Ushers Quay in the city of Dublin (Merchant) and John Colgan of Kilcock in the County of Kildare (Gentleman)

The Kerry Letters (PP19)

Three letters from visitors to Kerry in the mid -19th century concerning life in the county. Covering the period 1818-1832, these letters are by individuals unknown and unconnected to each other, who offer their observations and opinions on the county of Kerry.