Since the formation of the Irish Province in 1860, Irish Jesuits have undertaken three main overseas missions (Australia, Hong Kong and Zambia). More than 120 Irish Jesuits have worked in Zambia. The Vice-Province of Zambia was formed in 1969 and the Province of Zambia and Malawi was established in 1992. The Irish Jesuits' work in Zambia is complemented by other Jesuit Provinces such as: Canada; Croatia; Oregon; Poland and Slovenia. The papers of the Zambian Mission chronicle the life and work of Irish Jesuits since their arrival, in what was then Northern Rhodesia, in 1946. The files of correspondence between Irish Jesuits working in Zambia and their Irish Provincials in Dublin illustrate the areas of work that they laboured in: parish work, education and development. Geographically, this took place in the southern part of the country and in the capital, Lusaka. The impact of the Irish presence is seen especially in Canisius High School and Charles Lwanga College of Education in Chikuni, the parishes in the Monze Diocese, and development projects around the diocese.

Book entitled 'Tonga Grammar' by Fr Bernard Collins SJ, published by Longmans.

Tonga English dictionary.

File containing Fr Thomas O'Meara's admission papers and brief correspondence with Irish Fr Provincials including letters from his time as a missionary in Zambia.

Publication by Fr Liam Browne SJ entitled 'The plateau Tonga: an introduction'.

The man called James Corboy : Irish Jesuit Bishop of Monze, Zambia. Messenger Publications, Dubline [Ireland], 2012

The emergence of teacher education in Zambia.

Three typed copies of a manuscript by Fr.Joseph Moreau SJ entitled 'The Chikuni Mission. How it Came to be Started in 1905' (31pp & 3pp notes. The fourth copy, has on the title page '(not to be published whole or in parts without Fr Moreau's consent.) + approbation!.' (36pp). This copy has handwritten translations of words on reverse page.

Statement of expenditure on the Priest's residence at the regiment Church, Lusaka.

Booklet entitled 'St. Ignatius Parish 50 Years in Zambia'.

St. Ignatius Parish 50 Years 1937-1987

Two identical medals - St Ignatius Christus Imperat, Chikuni, Zambia.

Social and Pastoral Survey of the Jesuit Mission in Lusaka, Zambia.

Small English-Tonga dictionary by Fr Bernard Collins SJ. Published by the Jesuits in conjunction with Zambian Publications Bureau, and printed by at Teresianum, Lusaka.

Small English-Tonga Dictionary

Sketch plan for residence at Kasiya, Zambia by J. McCarthy M.P.T.A.A (nd.) and working drawings for extension to the Jesuit Fathers at Monze, Zambia drawn by W.F.F.

Revised sketch of a proposed plan for the Father's house, Catholic Church, Lusaka.

File containing Robert Thompson's admissionpapers and correspondence with irish Fr provincials covering his time in Zambia, at Rathfarnham Castle and Tullabeg and his parish work at Clane, County Kildare and Moycullen, County Galway.

Province file for Fr Seán J McCarron SJ which includes correspondence with Irish Fr Provincials and curia, personal record and application to join the Society.

File of material concerning the proposed trip by Fr Patrick Simpson SJ to Zambia.

A file of plans for the community house and college buildings, St Canisius College, Chikuni, Zambia.

Photographs in possession of Fr Thomas Byrne SJ including:

• individual photographs of Fr Thomas Byrne SJ (4 items);
• group photograph including Frs Laurence Kearns, Thomas Byrne, Br - , - , - , Sean McCarron, - , at Dollymount, Manresa, Dublin [1948]-[1952);
• photographs of Fr Thomas Byrne SJ visiting schools in Asia (2 items);
• group photograph of Fr Thomas Byrne SJ with others, in white cassocks;
• group photograph of Irish Jesuits in Zambia, including Fr Thomas Byrne SJ in centre, with Bishop James Corboy SJ;
• group photographs of Irish Jesuits in Hong Kong (although Fr Thomas Byrne SJ, Superior of the Hong Kong Jesuits, 1957-1960, these photographs postdate that time (5 items);

Photograph of the mission community, Zambia. Names on rear, given by Fr John Fitzgerald SJ (25/06/2010).
Seated L - R: Colm O'Riordan, Louis Meagher, Sean McCarron, Thomas Byrne, Jim Corboy, Des O'Loghlen, ?, John Fitzgerald.
1st row: L - R. Barney Collins (?), Eddie O'Connor, Tom McGivern, Joe McDonald, Teddy O'Brien (?), Joe Conway, Bob Kelly, Tommie O'Meara, Danny Byrne, Charlie O'Connor and Shaun Curran.
Back row: L - R. Sean O'Connor, ?,?, Des O'Connell, Fred Moriarty, Pat McDuff, Brother Joseph Duda, Jim Carroll, Br. McKinney, ?, Br. Charlie O'Connor, Paul Brassil, Jim Dunne, Paul Cullen, ?, Paddy Sherry.

Photograph of the mission community taken on the occasion of Fr Assistant's visit to Chikuni.

A file of photographs of Jesuits on their way to Northern Rhodesia.

Photograph of Jesuits at house warming in Northern Rhodesia [Not Northern Rhodesia, but Irish Jesuits at Hong Kong in 1930s].

Photograph of group of Jesuits talking outside a residence in Northern Rhodesia. The car belongs to a Franciscan according to the writing on the reverse of the photograph [Not Northern Rhodesia, but Irish Jesuits at Hong Kong in 1930s].

Photograph of Irish Jesuits John Coyne, Daniel Meagher and Joseph McCarthy.

Photograph of Fr Patrick J. Walsh SJ receiving the insignia of Officer of the Companion Order of Freedom from His Excellency, the President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda.

Photograph of Fr Kevin Quinn SJ receiving the insignia of Officer of the Companion Order of Freedom from His Excellency, the President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda.

Black and white photograph of Fr Daniel Louis Meagher SJ.

Photograph depicting the Zambia mission community and Father General Pedro Arrupe SJ on the occasion of his visit to Zambia.

Black and white photograph depicting Irish Jesuits in Zambia. Names are tentatively suggested.

Personal information sheet for Fr Kevin Quinn SJ (c.1962) and newspaper clipping from 'The Times of Zambia' concerning mineworkers and the Brown Report. Fr Quinn was part of the Commission which investigated the mining industry in Zambia. Includes M.A.thesis by Kevin Quinn SJ entitled 'The Industrial Realtions Act, 1946', University College Dublin, 1952, 187pp.

Order of the day for the mission, divided into summer time and winter time.

Obituary of Fr Edward O'Connor SJ by Fr Des O'Loghlen SJ taken from the 'Zambia - Malawi Province' newsletter, September - October 1993.

Statement prepared by Fr Bruno Wolnik SJ, on the number of religious in the Catholic Mission, Northern Rhodesia 'Pro Archivo S.C. de Propangand Fide'.

Notes by Fr Provincial Michael O'Grady SJ on a training college for teachers in Northern Rhodesia.

Newspaper reports of the ordination of Arthur Cox, at Milltown Park, Dublin (15 December 1963) and his departure for Monze, Northern Rhodesia (10 August 1964).

Mission Office material relating to Fr Laurence Kearns SJ, which includes announcement of death, personal record and correspondence between Fr Kearns and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission office material relating to Fr Daniel Louis Meagher SJ. Includes passport, photographs, personal record; announcement of death and correspondence between Fr Meagher and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

Mission office material relating to Fr Brian Sharkey SJ. Includes passport, passport photographs, personal record, announcement of death, obituary and correspondence between Fr Sharkey and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

Mission office material relating to Fr Colm Ó Riordan SJ. Includes passports; copy of birth and death certificates; announcement of death; passport photographs; obituaries; medical and travel issues; correspondence between Fr Ó Riordan and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin; report of the Commission of Inquiry into Disturbances in Certain African Schools by Northern Rhodesian Government (23 June 1960).

File of mission material relating to Fr William Lee SJ. Includes photograph; personal record; article entitled ‘Wings over Africa’; and correspondence between Fr.William Lee SJ and Fr Thomas Martin SJ, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Walter O'Connor SJ. Includes passport photographs, photographs, personal record, rough notes on coloured slides for the ordination of the first Tongan priest, Fr Dominic Nchete (15 August 1952); extract from a letter of Fr O'Connor SJ (28 March 1952) and homilies.

File of mission material relating to Fr Thomas O'Brien SJ. Includes passport; photographs; announcement of death; personal record; and correspondence between Fr O'Brien and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of material relating to Fr Sean McCarron SJ. Includes copy of birth certificate; details of Zambian Independence celebrations and correspondence between Fr McCarron and Fr Thomas Martin SJ, Jesuit Missions, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Patrick Walsh SJ. Includes photograph; announcement of death; personal record; obituary and correspondence between Fr Patrick Walsh SJ and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Patrick O'Brien SJ. Includes passport photograph; announcement of death; obituaries; death certificate; personal record; Zambian stamps from 1980 - 81; newspaper cuttings from the trial of Laurence Sullivan, Lusaka, Zambia in which Fr O'Brien refused to be called as a witness (1952) and correspondence between Fr O'Brien and Frs. Thomas Martin, Vincent Murphy and Thomas O'Brien, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Patrick Benson SJ. Includes passports; vaccination card; photographs; personal record; announcement of death; key, copy of birth and death certificates; university certificates; correspondence between Fr Benson and Fr Thomas Martin SJ, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of material relating to Fr Michael Moloney SJ. Includes death certificate, announcement of death;, and correspondence between Fr Moloney and Fr Vincent Murphy SJ, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

Mission material relating to Fr Maurice Dowling SJ. Includes announcement of death; personal record; mortuary card, and correspondence between Fr Dowling and Fr Thomas Martin SJ, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Joseph McSweeney SJ. Includes announcement of death, personal record and correspondence between Fr McSweeney and Fr Thomas Martin SJ, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Joseph McCarthy SJ. Includes passport, passport photographs, personal details, obituary, next of kin details, account of Fr McCarthy’s death (13 January 1986), Curriculum Vitae, and correspondence between Fr McCarthy and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Joseph Conway SJ. Includes passport, photograph, announcement of death, obituary, personal record and correspondence between Fr Conway and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Eddie O'Connor SJ. Includes photographs; personal record; announcement of death; articles produced by Fr O'Connor giving local news in Zambia - ‘Monze calling’, ‘Chivuna calling’, ‘This is Chivuna’, ‘This is Choma’, ‘Nawala calling’, correspondence between Fr O'Connor and Frs. Thomas Martin, Thomas O'Brien and Vincent Murphy, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Dermot Murphy SJ. Includes photographs, personal record and correspondence between Fr Murphy and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Denis Carroll SJ. Includes passports; announcement of death; personal record; obituary; faculties and correspondence between Fr Carroll and Frs Thomas Martin, Vincent Murphy and Thomas O'Brien, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Fr Brian MacMahon SJ. Includes passport, photographs, obituary, personal record and correspondence between Fr MacMahon and Fr Thomas Martin SJ, Jesuit Missions, 20 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

Mission material relating to Br Patrick Sherry SJ. Includes passport photographs, passports, personal record, announcement of death, and correspondence between Br Sherry and Frs Thomas J. Martin and Vincent Murphy, Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin, Ireland.

File of mission material relating to Br George Feeney SJ. Includes passport photographs, personal record and correspondence between Br Feeney and Frs Thomas Martin, Vincent Murphy and Tom O'Brien, Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of mission material relating to Robert Thompson SJ. Includes photograph, list of photographic transparencies introducing Chikuni; personal record; correspondence related to donation of a bell (Patrick Reilly, Multyfarnham, County Westmeath) between Fr Thompson and Fr Thomas Martin SJ, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin and Fr John Coyne SJ, St Francis Xavier's, Gardiner Street, Dublin.

Memorandum prepared by Fr Patrick J Walsh SJ on the Northern Rhodesia Mission.

Memorandum from the Procurator of the Missions. Includes a financial statement of the mission fund.

Correspondence between the Archbishop of Lusaka, Fr Adam Kozlowiecki SJ, Fr John Kerr SJ , 87 Eglinton Road, Dublin 4 and Irish Fr Provincial Cecil McGarry SJ, relating to the illness and medical expenses of Fr Patrick Walsh SJ, Secretary to the Archbishop.

Mission Office material relating to Fr Thomas O'Meara SJ. Includes: obituary; personal record; passport photographs; correspondence between Fr O'Meara and Frs Thomas Martin, John Mulligan and Vincent Murphy, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

File of material relating to Fr Thomas Cooney SJ, taken from the Mission Office, 28 Upper Sherrard St (12 July 2011). Includes photograph, mortuary card, announcement of death, obituary, personal record, and correspondence between Fr Cooney and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

A file relating to Patrick J. Benson, member of the Chikuni Mission who died in 1970. Includes documents relating to his entry to the Society in 1942.

Material relating to Fr Michael Moloney SJ which includes correspondence describing his work in Australia and Zambia and includes correspondence with Irish Fr Provincials and curia, personal record and application to join the Society.

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.

Material relating to Fr Joseph B Conway SJ including details of entry to the Society of Jesus, catalogue entry, photograph and correspondence.

Mission Office material relating to Fr Edward Booth SJ. Includes photograph, personal record, medical details and birth certificate.

Material relating to Fr Dermot J Murphy SJ which includes correspondence concerning his work in Zambia and his health. Includes black and white passport size photographs, correspondence with Irish Fr Provincials and curia, personal record and application to join the Society.

Material relating to Fr Daniel Louis Meagher SJ which includes correspondence with Irish Fr Provincials and curia, personal record and application to join the Society.

A file relating to Fr Daniel Byrne SJ concerning his entry to the Society of Jesus (1938) and his death following a car accident in Northern Rhodesia in 1964.

File of material relating to Fr Bernard Collins SJ, taken from the Mission Office, 28 Upper Sherrard Street, Dublin (12 July 2011). Includes photograph, obituary, personal record, and correspondence between Fr Collins and Frs Thomas Martin and Vincent Murphy, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

Material relating to Fr Bernard P Collins SJ entry to the Society of Jesus, biographical information and correspondence with Irish Fr Provincials.

File of material relating to Fr Arthur Cox taken from the Mission Office. Includes application for residency (Zambia), newspaper obituaries, account of his death, birth certificate, marriage certificate and death certificate of his wife.

Maps of Northern Rhodesia depicting Jesuit mission borders.

Map of Zambia Catholic Mission Stations.

Map of Northern Rhodesia (eastern region). Scale 1:1,000,000.

Hand drawn map of Northern Rhodesia depicting the Mazabuka area. Scale 1:50,000.

Hand drawn map of Northern Rhodesia depicting the Jesuit Mission stations.

Map of Northern Rhodesia. Scale 1:1,000,000.

Map of Northern Rhodesia. Scale 1:2,000,000.

Map of central Northern Rhodesia. Scale 1:1,000,000.

Map depicting Northern Rhodesia (2nd part of 2). Scale 1:1,000,000.

Map depicting Northern Rhodesia (1st part of 2). Scale 1:1,000,000.

Map depicting educational establishments in Northern Rhodesia, Southern Province. Scale 1:500,000.

General Annual Histories of the Chikuni Mission with sections on Religious and Intellectual Life, Ministry and Health.

Letters written from Jesuits in Northern Rhodesia to the Irish Fr Provincial Thomas Byrne SJ.

• Includes a letter from Fr Patrick J Walsh SJ, PO Box 87, Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia referring to the imminent opening of the secondary school in Chikuni. Remarks that without Frs Dowling and Gill they would not have been able to open the school. Remarks that they are still waiting for the rains to come so that the maize crop can be sown (4 January 1949, 4pp).
• Includes a letter from Fr Patrick J Walsh SJ, PO Box 87, Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia describing the difficulties of the mission while it remains under complete control of the Polish Province (30 October 1949, 3pp).
• Includes a letter from Fr Patrick J Walsh SJ, PO Box 87, Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia concerning the possibility of the Irish Province taking over the Lusaka Prefecture. Remarks that he would welcome the development as long as it was entirely independent of the Polish Jesuits (5 December 1949, 4pp).

Letters written from Jesuits in Northern Rhodesia to the Irish Fr Provincial Thomas Byrne SJ.

• Includes a letter from Fr Patrick J O'Brien SJ (one of the two Jesuits sent out to Northern Rhodesia by Irish Fr Provincial) remarking 'The situation here is desperate. There is no other word to describe it. It was already critical when the first appeal was made to the Irish Province. And while Fr Patrick J Walsh SJ and myself were waiting for a boat to come here, 3 fathers died. Since then we have lost a fourth…' (7 January 1948, 2pp).
• Includes a letter from Fr Patrick J O'Brien SJ, PO Box 125, Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia to Fr Provincial Thomas Byrne SJ thanking him for agreeing to send two more Jesuits to the mission (Fr Maurice Dowling SJ & Fr Daniel Shields SJ, although Fr Joseph Gill SJ subsequently went in Fr Shield's place) (7 April 1948, 2pp).

A file of letters to Irish Fr Provincial James Tuite SJ (term 31 July 1880 - 6 May 1883). Includes an index/précis to the letters by Fr James Rabbitte SJ.

Letters to Fr Aubrey Gwynn SJ concerning Fr Arthur Cox, who died in Zambia on 11 June 1965 following a car crash. Includes: letter from Fr Cox to Fr Gwynn describing how Fr Cox is settling in to his new life in Monze and learning new languages (21 December 1964, 2pp);
– letter from Bishop James Corboy SJ with reference to Fr Cox (23 February 1965, 1p) (see also J10/18);
– letter from Fr Frank O'Neill SJ describing the circumstances of Fr Cox’s death (16 June 1965, 3pp);
– letter from Bishop Corboy following the first anniversary of Fr Cox’s death (17 June 1966, 1p.). Includes ordination and memorial card of Fr Cox.

Aubrey Gwynn and Arthur Cox at UCD together.

Letters from the Consultors of the Chikuni Mission including Frs John Counihan, Arthur Clarke and Bernard Collins.

File of correspondence from Irish Jesuits mainly in Chikuni and Choma, Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) to Fr Thomas J. Martin SJ, Mission Office, Milltown Park (later Upper Sherrard Street), Dublin concerning the Chikuni Mission (administration, building plans, school life, finance, requests for supplies and general life there). Includes letters from Frs Dan Byrne, Arthur Clarke, Bernard Collins, Tom Cooney, Joseph Mary Gill, William Lee, Joe McCarthy, Tom McGivern, Louis Meagher, Des O'Loghlen, Charles O'Connor and Brian Sharkey.

• letter from Fr Joseph Mary Gill SJ indicating the work he has to do as a teacher as well as been Mission Procurator '...the farm is a big worry. There is something wrong with the cattle and five have just died and a number of the others are sick' (12 October 1950);
• statement by Fr Brian Sharkey SJ entitled 'Some highlights in missionary life for me' which outlines his time at the Chikuni Mission [1951];
• letter from Fr Tom Cooney SJ in which he describes the plant needed from Bord na Mona, 'the 60 K.V.A. would be rather large for Chikuni' (16 September 1953); - Chikuni Mission statistics for the year ending 31st December 1953; - letter from Fr Thomas McGivern SJ which includes plan of a map of the buildings at Chikuni (1 January 1954);
• letter in which Fr Louis Meagher SJ is frustrated with the lack of skills of those been sent out to the mission, 'Could it not be possible to arrange that the brother in Tullabeg be detailed off to give lesson to the scholastics once their names are made known for the missions' (29 September 1956);
• letter from Fr Des O'Loghlen SJ, Choma, Northern Rhodesia informing of the death of Fr Danny Byrne SJ (6 May 1964);
• Zambian independence celebrations and the visit of Frank Aiken (October 1964);
• account of the death of Fr Arthur Cox (11 June 1965).

Letter of congratulation from James Corboy SJ, Bishop of Monze, Zambia, to Fr Aubrey Gwynn SJ, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Fr Gwynn’s entrance into the Society of Jesus.

Letter from Fr Patrick J Connolly SJ, 35 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin to Irish Fr Provincial Thomas Byrne SJ, St Francis Xavier's, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin urging him to consider taking over the Jesuit Mission of Northern Rhodesia from the Polish Province. Remarks 'The mission is a going concern: to take it over would cost nothing save in man-power. It has its residences, chapels, schools, landed property (some thousands of acres waiting to be exploited)'.

Letter from Fr Colm Ó Riordan SJ to Sister Gertrude, St Mary’s Convent, Monze, Zambia (27 March 1987) and to Maureen [ ], Milltown Park, with prescription (2 December 1992). Includes address of next-of-kin.

Letter from Fr Ladislaus Zabdyr SJ, Chikuni, PO Chisekesi, Northern Rhodesia to Irish Fr Provincial John R MacMahon SJ, St Francis Xavier's, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin concerning the news that the Irish Province is to send Irish Jesuits to Northern Rhodesia. Explains the situation in the mission. Remarks 'Any man that can be spared and is willing to come will be welcome because at any time one can expect that some one of those still at work here may break down…'.