File 43 - John McCormack Tribute Volume

164 pp; 33 cm x 21 cm; bound volume, clipping, manuscript, typescript, printed, and photographic print

A bound volume containing letters, tributes, clippings, and photographs relating to John McCormack (1884-1945). The volume was compiled for a special feature on McCormack published in ‘The Capuchin Annual’ (1946-7). The volume includes letters from Fr. Sydney MacEwan, Dorothy Caruso, William Tisdall (Charlesfort, Kells, County Meath), Moira O’Scannlain, Michael Bowles, Compton Mackenzie, Walter Legge, Herbert Louis Moiselle, Edwin Schneider, Arthur H. Ryan (Queen’s University, Belfast), Rev. Fulton J. Sheen, Irene Curzon, 2nd Baroness Ravensdale, Sir Shane Leslie, Lily McCormack, James McCormack, Maud Aiken, Olive M. Taylor, Br. James Killcullen SC, and Fr. Damian Smith OSB.

McCormack was a celebrated Irish tenor noted for his performances of operatic and popular song repertories. Born in 1884 in Athlone, County Westmeath, McCormack’s early musical skills were honed when he joined the Palestrina Choir at St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin where Vincent O’Brien was organist and choir director. McCormack would go on to become one of the most popular singers of the early twentieth century and one of the first artists to harness the opportunities offered by recordings of his performances on radio. He was well known for his renditions of the Irish ballads ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ as well as ‘Molly Bawn’ and ‘The Wearing of the Green’. He was particularly popular in the United States. McCormack donated thousands of dollars to the American effort during the First World War, after the country entered the conflict in 1917. He became a naturalised American citizen before returning to live in Ireland. He died in Dublin on 16 September 1945.

The volume is in poor condition. The end covers are frayed and some of the pages within the volume are torn. Careful handling of the volume is required.

See the tribute feature on John McCormack published in ‘The Capuchin Annual’ (1946-7) at pp 215-90. https://designrr.page/?id=315583&token=72805665&type=FP&h=2100

For biographical information on John McCormack (1884-1945) see https://www.dib.ie/biography/mccormack-john-francis-a5617