A photograph of Fr. Raymond Dillane OFM Cap.
A photograph of the Capuchin Central Library (Biblioteca Centrale Cappuccini) in Rome. Founded in the second half of the nineteenth century, the library was located on the Via Boncompagni in the centre of Rome. In 1968, the library was relocated to the International College of St Lawrence of Brindisi situated on the outskirts of the city. The library has a stock of books and documents totalling 120,000 catalogued items including works by Capuchin authors, material on the early history and ministries of the Order, Franciscan publications, and many rare medieval and early modern books and items of ecclesiastical interest.
The subseries comprises a large collection of bound pamphlets, leaflets, and booklets assembled by Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap., the editor of ‘The Capuchin Annual’. Much of the material is directly related to and largely produced during the Irish revolutionary period in the early twentieth century. The broad subjects include the Home Rule crisis (1912-14), World War I (1914-18), the 1916 Rising, the War of Independence (1919-21), and the Civil War (1922-23).
Included are some official government publications and items from private organizations such as patriotic and volunteer societies, religious associations, and various republican affiliates and organisations. Other content in the bound pamphlet collection is indicative of Moynihan’s eclectic interest in Irish church history, Franciscan history, antiquities, Irish literature and art, Gaelic culture, historiography, and the contemporary political and economic situation in Ireland. It appears that Moynihan bound the original pamphlets together to form a reference library for the Capuchin Publications Office.
A. Newman [pseud. Herbert Moore Pim], ‘Why the martyrs of Manchester died (Dublin: Whelan & Son, [c.1915-16]). Published as part of the Tracts for the times series, No. 9.
Patrick Pearse, ‘The sovereign people’ (Dublin: Whelan & Son, 17 Upper Ormond Quay, 1916). Published as part of the Tracts for the times series, No. 13.
William O’Brien, ‘“The Party”, who they are and what they have done’ (Dublin: Maunsel & Co., 1917).
Louis George Redmond-Howard, ‘Sir Roger Casement / a character sketch without prejudice’ (Dublin: Hodges, Figgis & Co., Ltd., 1916).
John Joseph Horgan (compiler), ‘The complete grammar of anarchy / by members of the war cabinet and their friends’ (Dublin: Maunsel & Co., Ltd., 1918). Includes excerpts from speeches by Sir Edward Carson, and others.
Darrell Figgis, ‘The historic case for Irish independence’ (Dublin: Maunsel & Co., Ltd., 1918).
A copy of a pamphlet titled ‘Grievances in Ireland / by One of the tolerant majority’ (Dublin; J. Duffy, 1913).