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Biographical notes on Fr John Curtis SJ by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ (former Irish Province Archivist).

Brief biographical details on Fr Robert Whitty SJ compiled by Fr Fergal McGath SJ.

Card index compiled by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, sent to Fr Anthony Bischoff SJ. ‘Those marked with a ‘H’ are books definitely associated with Hopkins.’ (Fr Gerard Hopkins SJ).

Copy of letter from Fr Fergal McGrath SJ to Fr Anthony Bischoff SJ concerning the books, following a recent inquiry about them from Dr James Cotter, New York. ‘I gave you the news that I had found five (probably seven) of the books used or annotated by G.M Hopkins, which you so painstakingly located in 1947. You had mentioned that you had found fifteen to twenty such books. I sent you a list of all the books which I had found in the same cupboard, and asked you to let me know whether you could establish a link between any of them and Hopkins. If my letter went astray, I shall be glad to make another copy of the list.’

Extract from 'Interfuse' of an article on Fr Henry Fegan SJ by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ.

Father John Sullivan, S.J (reprint of 1942 work).

Handwritten schedule of the manuscripts in Irish compiled by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ (Irish Province Archivist, 1975 – 1986). Includes explanatory note by Fr McGrath concerning his compilation of the schedule (1p. 1985). Fr. McGrath lists one manuscript (number ‘3’) which an tAthair Ó Fiannachta did not. This manuscript is missing.

Letter from Fr Fergal McGrath SJ (Superior), St Ignatius College, Galway to Irish Fr Provincial Thomas Byrne SJ concerning a school site the Bishop of Galway wishes to obtain from the Corporation. Remarks that the Bishop asked that all Sodalities pass a resolution supporting his position. Refers to the situation as very difficult. Remarks 'We all disliked the proposal (that all Sodalities pass a resolution) supporting his position intensely, but felt that we must yield to the Bishop's wishes.'

Letter from Mr Fergal McGrath SJ, Rathfarnham Castle, County Dublin to Irish Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan SJ concerning his scholarship from the civil service.

A file of letters between Irish Frs Provincial Laurence Kieran and John R MacMahon and Clongowes Wood College SJ regarding communications with the Department of Defence. The mater being considered was one where the Deptartment of Defence sought to use Clongowes as a place for storage of equipment, and in the event of an emergency, that a part of it might be used as a hospital. The advice was that Clongowes should not invite the Department of defence in, but they might have no choice. Initial letters are between Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, Rector, Clongowes Wood College SJ and Irish Fr Provincial L Kieran SJ as well as with Commandant PJ Delaney of the Department of Defence. Fr McGrath also sought the advice of his House Consultors, Fr William Dargan SJ, Henry King SJ and Cyril Power SJ. Subsequent letters were exchanged between Fr William Dargan SJ - who had been deputed to negotiate with the Ministers of Defence, Mr Oscar Traynor and Mr Francis Aiken, along with Irish Fr Provincial John R MacMahon SJ.

In the event of an "emergency", the Provincial had wanted that Jesuit community members from Milltown Park and Rathfarnham Castle might be accommodated at Clongowes, along with the local community, and remaining staff and students. This was eventually accepted by the Department of Defence, as only a small portion of the buildings would be required to function as a hospital.

A file of letters from Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, Rector, Clongowes Wood College SJ to Irish Fr Provincial Laurence Kieran SJ concerning community matters at Clongowes Wood College SJ:

• letter from Fr McGrath to Fr Kieran in response to make some economies in the community and College (16 October 1939, 2pp);
• letter from Fr McGrath to Fr Kieran raising a concern about externs who come to the early Mass at Clongowes, especially on Sundays. The matter had been raise by Fr Kehoe in Clane (11 March 1940, 3pp);
• letter from Fr Kieran to Fr McGrath replying to his letter of 11 March 1940, raising the question of externs at the early Mass in Clongowes.

List of days on which talk is permitted, for the Clongowes community, at breakfast, drawn up by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, Rector, Clongowes Wood College SJ.

Lists of works by Fr Edmund Hogan SJ with annotations.

Note by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ about an article in Archivium Hibernicum, O’Doherty, Denis J, ‘Students of the Irish College, Salamanca, 1597-1619’ ii (1913), pp. 1-36.

Note by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ: “In the File ‘Darlington’ there is what appears to be an unpublished MS entitled 'The Life of Gerard Manley Hopkins in Ireland and Policy of Father Delany, S.J. – President of University College, Stephen’s Green, 1884 – 1908'. It contains very little about Hopkins, though this is of some interest.”

Note on Fr Jean Claude Jautard SJ (Spiritual Father of the newly Restored Society; buried at Clongowes in 1821), as Chaplain to George’s Hill Convent, 1814, made by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ (Irish Province Archivist until 1986).

Note written by Fr. Fergal McGrath SJ (former Irish Province Archivist) about the papers of Fr Charles Flanagan.

Note written by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ (former Irish Province Archivist) commenting on the Pigot letters.

Note written by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ (former Irish Province Archivist) concerning Killiney Castle and the Jesuit community who resided there.

Notes by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ (Province Archivist from 1975 to 1986) on ‘Manuscript of Poems on St. Thecla by Gerard Manley Hopkins.’ ‘This manuscript is written on the inner pages of a double foolscap sheet, the Latin poem on the left hand, the English on the right hand page…Both poems are in G.M. Hopkins’s handwriting, but not [signed] or dated.’ (Notes form the body of a letter sent to Dr Peter Beal (Index of English [Literary Manuscripts Series], University of Leeds) in September 1975). Includes notes on the appearance of the manuscript and lists the corrections made on the manuscript. Both poems appear in 'The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins', 4th edition, 1967.

Notes by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ on transcripts by Fr John MacErlean SJ relating to Fr Thomas Betagh.

Notes from Hardiman's "Irish Ministry…" (1831) compiled by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ on Fanny Betagh, wife of James Betagh of Maurin, County Mayo - the head of a branch of the ancient family of that name. Fanny was celebrated in a poem by Carolan.

Notes made by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ concerning Fr Gerard Hopkins's books. Includes:
– memorandum recording an inquiry into ‘the annotated books of Hopkins’ from a Dr. James Cotter, New York, in summer 1976, ‘I wrote to him (Fr Anthony Bischoff SJ) June 21st 1977…I received no acknowledgement. He was on a visit to…Inishannon, Co. Cork’ (n.d., 1p.);
– ‘1st Memorandum re Hopkins’ Books. Sept. 8th…1976’ noting how Fr Anthony Bischoff SJ spent a summer examining all the books in the library in 1947; how Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, on becoming Province Archivist in 1975 ‘received a few enquiries about these books. Nobody in the community knew anything about them’, how he wrote to Fr Bischoff about the matter. ‘In August 1976, I found ten of these books in the lower shelf of the press immediately outside my room. I have identified them and list is herewith. There was a typed note…(by)… Fr Gwynn in the press (See J11/17) stating that the books belonged to or were used by Hopkins. I made a card index of all the books…I have marked H those certainly connected with Hopkins.’ (8 September 1976, 1p.);
– ‘2nd Memo’: ‘At present certainly identified with Hopkins 5, probably 2’ and lists them (8 September 1976, 1p.)

Biographical notes on Fr Dominic Kirwan SJ compiled by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ. Includes extract from 'Les Monasteres d’Ursulines sous l’Ancien Régime, 1612 – 1788' by M.M. de Chantal Gueudré, O.S.M. (Paris, 1960) with reference to Fr Kirwan (Quiravan) (2pp).

Notes on Killiney Castle and Druid Lodge, Killiney, County Dublin by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, (former Irish Province Archivist) referring to a letter he received from Miss Mary Purcell, 32 Gardiner Place, Dublin 1 (whose letter is also contained in this file). Fr McGrath traces the use of Killiney Castle by the Society of Jesus (nd, 1p). Includes a letter from Mary Purcell to Fr McGrath concerning the sale of Killiney Castle to the St John of God Brothers, France. Another property is also referred to by Miss Purcell who discovered this reference in a minute of a council meeting of the Brothers of St John of God but it is unclear if this other property also belonged to the Society of Jesus. The St John of God Brothers did not continue negotiations with the Society (18 August 1977, 2pp).

List of references compiled by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ relating to the history of Clongowes Wood College, taken from 'The Clongownian'.

A file relating to research carried out by Fr Fergal McGrath SJ on the history of Rathfarnham Castle.