Material relating to Fr Laurence M Kearns SJ containing admission details, his work within the Society (chaplain in the Second World War, communications and media work in Zambia and Lesotho, correspondence with Irish Fr Provincials. Includes biographical information.

Letters to the Irish Fr Provincial, mostly from Fr Leonard Sheil SJ, relating to his Mission work throughout Ireland. Includes:

• letters concerning a Retreat given by Fr Sheil in Killorglin, County Kerry, a lecture in Cashel, County Tipperary and Missions in Cobh, County Cork and Harrington Street, Dublin (24 November 1943 - 7 August 1945, 6 items);
• letter from Fr Sheil offering to ‘go to any country where…I would be of use in the service of God, Africa, Australia, China or the Continent.’ Also seeks permission to become the Spiritual Director of the International Catholic Girls’ Protection Society (see also J16/5). ‘Their work (they are some thirty years in existence in Dublin) was chiefly the meeting and protecting of girls travelling, especially to England. Now it includes a registry office of which the object is to find work for girls in Ireland and so obviate the necessity of going to England.…They hope to start a small training hostel for domestics. The Archbishop is very favourable.…I have given their radio broadcast for the past five years, bringing in £100 more or less each year. The work of the Spiritual Director would be to attend the monthly meeting of the Committee…and on these occasions to give what assistance he can as a priest.…In favour of it,…it offers a field of work for youth; and…perhaps no class of youth needs help more than the young country girl, perhaps from a convent orphanage, who comes to Dublin to domestic service…’ (21 Feb. 1946, 3pp);
• letter from Socius Fr John Coyne SJ to the Irish Provincial relating to a report in the 'Irish Press' of a lecture on ‘Friends of Soviet Russia’ given by Fr Sheil to the Ringsend C.Y.M.S. in which Fr Sheil referred to Dáil Éireann members as ‘frightful loafers’. Encloses clipping of report (2 Dec. 1946, 1p.) and letter from Fr Sheil to Fr Coyne explaining the circumstances of the lecture (n.d., 2pp);
• letter from Fr Sheil reporting on a number of young men who wish to join the Society and his activities on a recent visit to the North of Ireland (2 Apr. 1947, 4pp) and
• letter to the Irish Provincial Fr Thomas Byrne SJ from Dr Edward Doorly, Bishop of Elphin stating ‘Father Sheil did not give any offence worth mentioning and further…he gave a splendid Retreat to the priests’ (18 May 1949, 1p.).

Letters to the Irish Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan SJ from Fr Bernard Page SJ written during his time as a chaplain with the No. 2 Cavalry Field Ambulance, B.E.F., France. Includes letter of complaint to the Irish Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan SJ (12 April 1917, 6pp) re Fr Page and Fr Page’s replies (22 – 30 April 1917, 3 items).

A file of letters from Fr William Ronan SJ to Fr Jean-Baptist René SJ concerning his fund-raising trip to and around America. Includes typescript copies of the letters by Fr Thomas Morrissey SJ.

A file of letters from Fr William Ronan SJ to members of the community and the Apostolic students at Mungret concerning his fund-raising trip to America.

Letters from Fr Tom Counihan SJ to Irish Fr Provincials concerning various topics including:

• community life;
• retreats conducted by Fr Counihan;
• work with the SMA's and CB's;
• work with the Youth Commission.

Copy letter from the Irish Fr Provincial to Dr Robert Browne, Bishop of Cloyne and the Bishop’s reply concerning the appointment of a Professor of Catholic Theology to the National University in succession to Fr Peter Finlay SJ who had resigned the post. Includes letter from Dr David Keane, Bishop of Limerick to Fr John Hannon SJ, Fr Finlay’s successor.

Letters and telegrams to the Irish Fr Provincial from Fr Laurence Kearns SJ written during his time as a chaplain serving with various anti-aircraft units: 117 Z.A.A. Battery, 7 (M) Z.A.A. Regiment, Royal Artillery: Stockton-on-Tees; 107 Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Surrey; 32 Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade: France; 52nd Lowland Scottish Infantry Division, 157 Infantry Brigade: Holland, Germany, Belsen and in Garrisson Catholic Church, Bordon, Hants. Includes:

• his first letter to the Provincial from Edinburgh (18 September 1943, 2pp);
  – photographs of Fr Kearns blessing the graves of British falen 1940 and his driver, Liet. Joseph McPatlan (November, December 1944, 6 items: 8½cm x 6cm);
  – copies of extracts from Irish Province News on the chaplains (14 – 28 January 1945, 2 items, 1p. each);
  – letters describing his car accident (24 June 1945, 8pp), operations to rebuild his damaged face and his convalescence (11 July – 21 December 1945, 5 items).

Letter from Dr Robert Browne, Bishop of Cloyne to Irish Fr Provincial James Murphy SJ. Thanks the latter for his contribution to his fund. Refers also to ‘Frank’ and ‘Fr Willie’.

File relating to Fr Terence Sheridan SJ, including correspondence with Irish Fr Provincials, catalogue entries, photocopies of newspaper cuttings, and photographs.

Material on Thomas Lyons, who departed the Society of Jesus, as a brother.
Born: 27 March 1842
Entered: 24 December 1862
Left: late 1872

Documents found among the papers of Fr Willie Doyle SJ (with whom Fr Browne briefly served as chaplain), collated by Fr Charles Doyle SJ, concerning Fr Frank Browne SJ. Includes telegrams to Robert Browne, Bishop of Cloyne (14 March & 25 August 1919) concerning Fr Browne & circular letter from the War Office to Fr Browne, St Francis Xavier’s, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin, informing him of his appointment as an Honorary Chaplain to the Forces 3rd Class ‘as from 1st Sept. 1921 on which date your commission as a temporary Chaplain to the Forces ceased to have effect.’ (14 September 1921).