Report of the Commission of enquiry into the Irish Penal System

Chairman

Mr Seán MacBride, S.C.

Editor of Report

Mícheál Mac Gréil, S.J., ph.D., Lecturer in Sociology, St Patrick's College, Maynooth

Report published by the Commission of enquiry into the Irish Penal System, November 1980

Attached Letter from Seán MacBride, S.C. to Father Joe Dargan, S.J. Provincial Milltown Park Ranelagh Dublin 6 transmitting a copy of the Non-Governmental Commission of Enquiry into the Irish Penal System.

Prejudice in Ireland revisited based on a National Survey of Intergroup Attitudes in the Republic of Ireland
Survey and Research Unit, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth.

A file of letters to Irish Fr Provincial Thomas Brown SJ (term 7 May 1883 - 2 February 1888). Includes an index/précis to the letters by Fr James Rabbitte SJ.

A file of letters to Dr Charles Russell concerning his book on the Life of Cardinal Mezzofanti, 'The life of Cardinal Mezzofanti; with an introductory memoir of eminent linguists, ancient and modern', Longman, Brown, and Co, London, 1858

The letters offer praise and compliments to Dr Russell and suggestions for a second edition of the book. The following is a list of the people who wrote to Dr Russell concerning his book on Cardinal Mezzofanti:

25 March 1859; George [ ]

7 June 1858; P. J. [Aerts]

17 April - 7 May 1855; Edward Badely

23 August 1866; L'Abbe Blanchot

19 January 1859; [ J. B. Borrcho]

4 February 1863; F. C. Brooke

25 August - 3 November 1858; Lord Broughman

11 July 1860; A. Bruni SJ

16 October 1858; [ ] Bunsen

6 May 1858; L. Major Cavagnari

13 April - 26 August [ ]; John Dalberg Acton (Lord Acton)

3 [ ] 1858; Luigi Da Via

22 December 1859; Joseph Barnard Davis

n.d.; Auguste Donnet

19 May [ ]; James E. Doyle

11 February 1859; [Fernando]

21 April 1958; Goodwin Son & [ ]

5 May 1858; Thomas Grant

5 October - 1 December 1858; Imperial Austrian Legation

19 - 28 April 1860; Evan Jones

4 July 1858; Pierre Le Croix

23 April 1858 - 9 March 1860; Longman Brown and Company

6 May 1858; E. C. Lewis

[1858]; Henry E. Manning (later Cardinal)

17 June 1858; Patrick F. Moran (later Cardinal)

25 May 1858; John Morris

[ ] 1858; A. Pezzanat

5 - 10 May [1858]; E. H. Reeves

19 April 1852; James Roche

2 March 1858; James Hope Scott

12 May 1858; [ ] Shilman

15 June 1858; W. H. Smyth

[1858]-[1859]; James Spencer Northcote

5 May 1858; A. P. Stanley

15 [ ] 1856; Franco Venditti

9 May 1858; Dr. [Wals]

19 April 1855; Charles Ward[ ]th

29 March 1858 - 12 February 1863; Thomas Watts

[1857]; Vladimir Petcherine

A file relating to William Henry Bliss. Includes letters from William Bliss to Dr Charles Russell and copies of Dr. Russell's letters to William Bliss. Includes 4 letters from William Bliss to Fr Matthew Russell SJ concerning the publication of the correspondence in the Irish Monthly (22 March 1880 - 24 September 1893, 4 items).

A file of letters from William H. Gladstone to Dr Charles Russell. Includes a letter thanking Dr Russell for a pamphlet. Refers to the death of Lord and Lady Kildare's daughter (2 January 1867, 4pp). Includes a letter assuring Dr Russell that he will make an appeal to his father (W.E. Gladstone) on behalf of '...Mr. Du Noyer's family...' (the artist George Victor Du Noyer). (13 May 1871, 2pp).

A file of letters from William E. Gladstone to Dr Charles Russell concerning research on British history that both men are involved in. Includes a letter referring to correspondence held in the Vatican Archives that would be of interest (20 August 1864, 3pp). Includes a letter referring to Maynooth College and repairs that need to be carried out (16 November 1864, 4pp).

A file relating to Sir Robert Peel (eldest son of Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister), Chief Secretary for Ireland 1861 - 1865. Includes a letter from Robert Peel to Dr. Charles Russell offering him a position on the Board of National Education (16 January 1864, 4pp). Includes a draft reply from Dr. Charles Russell accepting the position (n.d., 2pp). Includes a letter from Robert Peel to Dr. Charles Russell remarking that he has resigned the position of Chief Secretary for Ireland. Remarks that he is greatly disappointed not to have been able to obtain '...the government sanction...of the House of Commons for the erection of the Chapel so much needed for the use of your students...' (17 November 1865, 5pp).

A file of letters from Lord Rosse (The Castle, Parsonstown) to Dr Charles Russell. Includes a letter congratulating Dr. Russell on his election to President of Maynooth College (22 October 1857, 3pp).

A file of letters from Goldwin Smith to Dr Charles Russell. Includes a letter remembering a pleasant day spent at Maynooth and telling Dr Russell about a book of '...photographic views of the old Oxford which you know so well...' which he will send him. Includes biographical details on Goldwin Smith by Fr Fergal McGrath, S.J. (former Irish Province Archivist).

A file of letters from Fr Charles Flanagan, Maynooth to his sister Rosa concerning his life and studies in Maynooth College. Includes a poem that he has added to and altered entitled 'The Old House and Home' (19 April 1849, 8pp).

A file of letters from Earl Spencer to Dr Charles Russell. Includes a letter thanking Dr Russell for the Preface of the Calendar of the Irish State papers of James I by Dr. Russell and remarks how glad he is to have the book to put in his library at Althorp. Invites Dr. Russell to visit him (17 April 1874, 4pp). Includes a letter thanking Dr. Russell for sending him verses written on '...the occasion of laying the first stone of your new church...I am glad...you will soon have a church worthy of the college over which you preside.' Admires the design and remarks 'I presume Pugin originally designed a church to go with the college...'.

A file of letters from Dr Charles Russell, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare to Fanny (Francis) O'Hagan. Includes a letter concerning his return to Maynooth. Expresses his gratitude for the time he spent with John O'Hagan and Fanny O'Hagan (26 November 1878, 2pp).

A file of letters from Dr Charles Russell, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare to Denis Florence MacCarthy. Includes letters arranging a meeting with Sir Charles Gavan Duffy (14 June 1865 & 20 June 1865, 2 items).

A file of letters from Dr Charles Russell to Lord O'Hagan (Thomas O'Hagan, first Lord O'Hagan, twice Lord Chancellor of Ireland).

A file of letters from Charles Russell to his sister Margaret Russell, Killough, County Down.

A file of letters from Antoine d'Abbadie to Dr Charles Russell. Includes two letters from E. Cortourbert to [Antoine d'Abbadie/Dr. Russell] concerning parcels of books that remain unopened in the Bibliotheque Imperiale ([ ] 1866, 3pp).

A file relating to Anne Russell sister of Charles Russell. Includes a letter from Anne Russell to Charles Russell written on the back of another letter from Thomas Russell to 'Mo'. The other three letters are from Charles Russell to Anne Russell. Includes a letter describing his studies at Maynooth (22 March 1827, 3pp).

Letter from the Earl of Portarlington to Dr Charles Russell thanking him for a photograph and a hymn. Refers to the construction of the church at Maynooth.

Letter from Patrick McLoughlin, St John's, Carrigart, County Donegal to Fr Roland Burke Savage SJ concerning the papers of Dr Charles Russell held in Maynooth College and those in Leeson Street. Remarks 'My recollection is that those you had at 35 Lr. Leeson Street were a disappointing lot.'

Letter from [Lord Bellew] to Dr Charles Russell concerning Dr Russell's election to President of Maynooth College. Congratulates him on his achievement. Remarks that Lord Carlisle was also'...highly pleased with the appointment.'

Letter from John Cashel Hoey, 17 Campden Hill Road, Kensington, London, England to Dr. Russell concerning Professors [at Maynooth College]. Remarks '...I cannot understand Mr. Gladstone's action in the matter...the letters which I sent Mr. Crolley are evidence that he knew the Professors were not satisfied and was at least willing to consider how they could be satisfied. Continues 'I do not at all despair of getting the proviso inserted in the Lords.'

Letter from James Blake Kavanagh to Dr Charles Russell concerning article[s] on Russian literature/linguistics published in the Dublin Review. Discusses at length the topic in question and mentions another scholar - Senskoffsky. Refers to a Russian periodical.

Letter from Henry Reeve, 62 Rutland [Square], [Dublin] to Dr Charles Russell congratulating him on his appointment to the Presidency of Maynooth College.

Letter from Gerard Mitchell, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare to Fr Francis Finegan SJ concerning a query made by Fr Finegan about the ordination of Jesuit scholastics in the early years of Clongowes Wood College SJ (After the restoration of the Society Clongowes was used as a house of studies for Jesuit scholastics as well as a school).

Letter from Fr John Francis Hogan, President, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare to Fr John F.X. O'Brien SJ concerning permission for students to subscribe to 'The Irish Monthly' and 'Studies'. Remarks 'In view of the stringent regulations there laid down they could not see their way to accede to your request.'

Letter from Fr Charles Flanagan, Senior College, Maynooth to his father concerning his travelling plans from Maynooth to home (County Donegal) before he leaves Ireland for the missions in the West Indies.

Letter from Dr. Charles Russell, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare to his [nephew Charles Russell, Lord Russell of Killowen] concerning the early death of '...our darling Annie...'.

Letter from Dr Charles Russell, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare to Fr Grene concerning information on Fr Peter Kenney SJ. Remarks that he does not have many details and that he was a very young priest when he met Fr Kenney.

A file of letters from Dr Charles William Russell (note: two of the letters may in fact be from Charles Russell, Lord Russell of Killowen and brother of Fr Matthew Russell SJ) to his nephew Fr Matthew Russell SJ. Includes a letter discussing the title of 'The Irish Monthly' (founded by Fr Matthew Russell) (n.d., 4pp).

Letter from Chichester Parkinson Fortescue, Irish Office, London to Dr. Charles Russell concerning grants paid to Maynooth College and the '[over issuing]' of money. Remarks that he discussed the matter with Mr Gladstone 'Mr Gladstone's answer is that it is a question of law and that the Audit [Committee]...discovered an illegal issue of public money...'.

Letter from Charles Russell, Maynooth College, County Kildare to his sister Anne Russell. Remarks that there was an eclipse of the sun 'I observed it very accurately. When I saw it first a very small segment was obscured but in a short time more than one third was covered. I never had a perfect idea of an eclipse until today. Describes what it is like to be studying in Maynooth. Remarks that he has a bad place in the study hall as the people around him talk. Refers to his room 'I am beginning already to feel the cold at night. I suppose it is because my curtains are so bad if they may be called curtains which are all full of holes and as thin as wafer.' Includes a xerox copy of the letter.

Letter from Charles Russell, Maynooth College, County Kildare to his mother (Anne McEvoy) telling her about his life as a student at Maynooth. Describes his day when he rises at 6 o'clock and the various chores he must attend to. Remarks 'We have a great deal of praying to do here.' Continues 'The lay college is quite separate from the Ecclesiastic and it is one of the rules not to hold any intercourse with those in the other college.'

Letter from [ ], Marlborough House, London to Dr Charles Russell concerning a copy of Dr Russell's College Calendar. Remarks that [she] will tell the Princess about it and that the Princess will be happy to receive a copy.

A file relating to an early sermon by Dr Charles Russell entitled 'Lord, lay not this sin to their charge'.

Correspondence, mostly between Irish Fr Provincial, Edward Kissane (President of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth) and Fr James Duff of St Patrick’s College relating to the attendance at Maynooth by Jesuit scholastics and the Irish Hierarchy’s Appeal on behalf of the College to the clergy and laity of Ireland, a fund to which the Province donated £500.

Correspondence relating the seismic observatory at Rathfarnham Castle and to the transfer of the ‘O’Leary Seismograph’ to the museum at Maynooth College. Includes letters by Fr Richard E. Ingram SJ, Dr Thomas Murphy, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, and Irish Fr Provincial Patrick Doyle.

[Draft] ‘Resolutions of the Committee of Catholic Masters’. Adopted at a meeting held at Maynooth on 29 September and submitted to the Assistant Commissioners of Intermediate Education for their consideration. Relate to syllabi, exams, exhibitions etc.