Item 15 - Historia Domus for St Ignatius, Galway

Lined notebook 'COLL S. IGNATII, HIST. DOM.' (House history for St. Ignatius College, Galway) Historia Domus, with handwritten entries which record important dates in the history of the church, college and community in Galway. At the start, it lists the instructions for the ‘Scriptores Historiae Domus’. Reports on number of confessions for each year, the Men’s Sodality and the Apostleship of Prayer. Lists the members of the community for each academic year and records the arrival of new members and the departure of the old, as well as last vows, illnesses, deaths and funerals. Details building work carried out to the buildings and new sport pitches and includes a photograph of such work in 1939. The renovations to the roof and the boiler are described as are the cost of work done, the craftsmen and architects involved etc. Relevant references are made to weather conditions and current affairs, including the reopening of the school ‘which had been suspended for 3 years (1929), ‘War declared. Invasion of Poland’ (1939), fourth centenary of the Society of Jesus (1941), ‘Around this time, the presence of a strange cat was felt (“perceived is better word”) in various parts of the house... she was caught, but escaped, + continued her evil way’ (1942), Taoiseach broadcast to the Nation on the conclusion of the War in Europe’ (16 May 1945), ‘Spiddal priest released by Communists’ (7 June 1952). Other entries refer to feast days, special Masses, novenas and processions, as well as to special periods within the Church calendar, such as Lent and Christmas. Provincials’ visitations are also recorded, as are the visits of other important guests. School events, such as the beginning and end of terms, examinations and prize-giving, operettas, theatricals, Féis Cheoil, debates, sports fixtures, excursions etc. also feature in the house history.

Also contains several insertions, some loose and some pasted onto notebook pages including; newspaper cuttings of special ceremonies, debates, school tours, reviews of theatricals, prize days, obituaries for Jesuits such as Fr Edmund Downing SJ, Jesuit educated pupils and past pupils, articles by Jesuits for example, ‘Why is not more Irish spoken?’ by Fr John J. Mac Sheahan SJ., articles of Jesuit interest in Galway, ‘Attacked by Beetle: Work to Save Church Roof’ (1939), ‘Past Pupils’ union for St Ignatius College’ (December 1946); numbers and finances of the Jesuits in Galway from 1862- 1877 (In Latin); leaflets; Lenten lectures & devotions; musical and theatricals programmes such as Concert & Dramatic Entertainment (4 January 1899); ‘The Rale True Doctor’ and ‘The Cuckoo’ (1936), ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ (1945); copy of report in the Galway Pilot of private theatricals at the College of St Ignatius (5 March 1892); copy of excavation plan done by Mr Edwards, Clerk of Works; holograph letter from Fr John MacErlean SJ to Fr Andrew O'Reilly SJ concerning the early history of the Jesuits in Galway (29 March 1947). Includes copy book which contains correspondence and articles in Galway newspapers about Scoil Fursa, a school which educates through Irish (December 1945 - January 1946).