Diaries and Notebooks of Domhnall Mac Amhlaigh

Collection List No. 59

DIARIES AND NOTEBOOKS OF DOMHNALL MAC AMHLAIGH

Ms. 32,596/1 - 53

A. DIARIES

32,596/1-40

32,596/1 January-December 1950. Collins Pocket Diary 1950. 9 x 5 cm. Resume of 1949. Army life, Renmore, County Galway. Return home to Kilkenny. Description of friends, food, films, books, etc.

/2 January-December 1951. Letts Diary 1951. 11 x 6 cm. Life in Kilkenny. Emigration to Northampton, England, (12 March). Job at Harboro Rd. Hospital. Descriptions of work, companions, free time activities. Names and addresses, accounts, list of books (read?) at back of diary.

/3 January-December 1952. Collins Gentleman's Diary 1952. 12 x 7 cm. Leaves hospital in July. Goes home to Kilkenny. Returns to England in August and works as labourer with various companies. Describes work, companions, free time activities, films.

/4 January-August 1953. Pocket diary Packing Materials Dublin 1935. 12 x 7cm. Stanford in the Vale, Berkshire. Description of work, as labourer, free time activities, friends, films.

/5 1954 Collins Ruby Diary No. 263 1954. 12 x 7 cm. Scrap notes, addresses, Irish-English vocabulary.

/6 October- 4 November 1959. 16 x 9 cm. Northampton. Married, expecting a child. Dialainn Deoraí at the publishers. Account of meeting his wife (in 1957). Oireachtas presentation, which he missed. His attitude to the publicity surrounding the publication of his first book. Wife's pregnancy. Attitude to love and marriage. Detailed diary, recording activities, ideas, thoughts, conversations, letters.

/7 November 1959-30 January 1960. 17 x 10cm. Wife's pregnancy. His thoughts about fatherhood. Success/criticism of Dialainn Deoraí. Thoughts on writing, function of diaries in a writer's life. Description of laying cables, work. Benefits of drinking.

…32,596/8 31 January - 27 June 1960. Letts Desk Diary 1957. 12 x 20 cm. No entries from February to May. Work. Irish cliques. Reading. Writing. Child first mentioned 31 May. Irish Press serializes Dialainn Deoraí. Breandán Ó hEithir, Tomás De Bhaldraithe, Prionsias Mac Aonghusa (20- 24 June). Launch of book Saol Saighdiúra, 23 June, in Dublin. Ideas for a novel. Character sketches.

/9 January 1962. Dialann 1962. Conradh na Gaeilge. 10 x 6 cm. Random notes.

/10 January-June 1963. 20 x 11 cm. Writing Diarmaid Ó Dónaill. References to Inion Mhic Chraith. "Princess Maud" (ferry). Notes for Diarmaid Ó Dónaill. Plans and text of a play, Deoraithe.

/11 19 June - 31 December {1964}. One Year Diary. 18 x 11 cm. Notes on Diarmaid Ó Dónail. Text of a play, probably for television, in English, 9 Langham Place. Notes for same play, also entitled Doss-house. Booklists. Working at Dagenham. Martin Clancy: prose work in English. House-hunting. Comments on marriage and women. Tomas Mac Gabhann. Wish to translate Diarmaid Ó Dónaill into English. Dieting. Prize, £150, on 20 September (Oireachtas Prize?)in Dublin. Ideas for plays. Finishes Diarmaid Ó Dónaill in December. References to advances and royalties.

/12 1964. Preston and Hadfields Ltd. 1964. 10 x 6 cm. Scraps. Very little material.

/13 January-December {1965}. 13 x 8 cm. Deoraithe (play). Working on Martin Clancy. Roger Casement. St. Patrick's Day.

/14 January-December 1966. Lett's Desk Diary 1966. 20 x 12 cm. Translating Martin Clancy. Working in hospital. Writing at home and at work. Comments on his marriage. Books, films. Aberfan disaster.

…32,596/15 January-December 1967. T.J. & J. Smith's Dataday Diary 1967. 20 x 12 cm. Day-to-day events. Confession. Attitude of priest to contraceptives.First Communion. References to work on novel in English; to "Pram Pushers"; to short story, "Athcheapadh"; articles for the Irish Times; Potairi; "Lumpers" (article?); An Irish Navvy, "Nora", "Peann Chara", "Taisceoiri", "Sceal Gra", "An Aunt" (short stories). References to persons including: Eoghan Ó hAnluain, Benedict Kiely, Breandan Ó hEithir, Risteárd Ó Glaisne, Seosamh Ó Duibhginn. Lists of books read,and of articles written and published in "The Irish Times" throughout 1967.

/16 January-December 1968. Northampton. Midland Desk Diary 1968. 17 x 11 cm. Personal: descriptions of work, family life, childcare, relationship with his wife;books and films; drinking; finances; purchases of clothes. Writing: references to work on novel; short stories; plans for play about army; articles; appears on "Late Late Show" (15 March).

/17 January-December 1969. Page-a-day Diary 1969 (Boots). 12x20cm. References to works include: novel sent to Anvil Books; short story, "Square One" or "Sweeney" sent to "New Irish Writing" (Irish Press); Irish Times articles; short story, "The Visitor"; short story, "An Gheis". Writers mentioned: Val Mulkerns, David Marcus (passim) , J. B. Keane (17 March); Eoghan Ó hAnluain. Death of father (29 Novenber). Lists of articles and short stories published during the year included at end of diary.

/18 January 1970-February 1971. Notebook format (not a commercial diary). 17x11cm. References to work on novel, to articles for Irish Times, Ireland's Own, Amarach. Lists of articles and short stories published during the year at back of diary.

/19 February - December 1971. Notebook format. 20 x 11 cm. People mentioned: Tomás De Bhaldraithe, Breandán Ó hEithir, Proinsias Mac Aonghasa, Conor Cruise O' Brien (16.12). Notes on plots for stories, novels and plays at back of diary.

/20 Engagement pocket diary. 1971. National Union of Railwaymen. 10 x 6cm. Random notes. Very few entries.

/21 January - December 1972. University Diary 1972. 16 x 10 cm. Work in progress referred to: Saol Saighdiúra, Schnitzer Ó Sé, various short stories, newspaper articles. References to visits to Ireland; depressions; state of his marriage. List of articles published throughout the year given at back.

…32,596/22 January - July 1973. 19 x 12 cm. Work in progress: Schnitzer Ó Sé (finished and put in the post, 28 March).

/23 January - December 1974. Lett's Desk Diary 1974. 21 x 15 cm. Work in progress: various ideas for short stories; “Martin Mulryan”; play, "An Dualgas agus an Gra". Depressions; illnesses; state of his marriage.

/24 January - December 1975. Lett's Diary. 21 x 14 cm. References to “Martin Mulryan”, to planned novel, Bantiarnas. List of newspaper articles at back of diary. Personal: dissatisfaction with job, frequent absences from work, purchases, drinks, visits to Ireland and London, appearances on television, radio.

/25 January - December 1976. Page-a-day Diary (Boots). 21 x 15 cm. References to writing of novel (passim); some scraps of fiction. List of short stories, newspaper articles, at back of diary. Personal: state of his marriage, difficulty of combining job and writing, looking after old parents, frequent references to drinking. Depression.

/26 January-December 1977. Collins' Diary 1977. 21 x 13 cm. Personal: state of his marriage; sexual life; domestic expenditure; minor illnesses; drinking; death of Jesse, an old lodger in the house (27 February); new lodger, Harry Browne (24 April); on-going references to job; children, especially Mairin; books read; television programs. Writing: on-going references to work in progress; list of articles at back of diary.

/27 January-December 1978. 12 x 9 cm. Personal: domestic expenditure; drinking; job; reading; sex; state of his marriage; television programs; reading; holiday in Ireland (May); home-brewing; television programmes. Writing: on-going references to work in progress. Lists of articles published at back of diary.

/28 January-December 1979. Appointment Diary 1979. 21 x 14 cm. Personal: state of his marriage; job; food; drink; depression; television programs; books; mortgage (paid off); daughter leaves home (8 April); Maggie Thatcher (4 May). Writing: work in progress on a short story; problems writing (9 April); on-going comments on writing, difficulties of writing in spare time; comment on how he writes his diary (30 June); opens Listowel Writers' Week (26 June) (several writers mentioned, including Nollaig Ó Gadhra, John Deane, Treasa Brogan, Brendan Kennelly, Michael Hartnett, Séamus Ó Cathasaigh).

…32,596/29 January-December 1980. Letts 1980 Diary. 22 x 14 cm. Personal: state of his marriage; relationship with daughter; drinking; minor illnesses; work; radio and television programmes; wages. Writing: on-going, detailed, comments on novel, short stories, articles; times of writing. Lists of articles, short stories, and accounts at back of volume.

/30 January-December 1981. 1981 Page-a-day Diary. 21 x 14 cm. State of his marriage; weather; finances; Stardust disaster (14 February);end of miners' strike (19 February); depressions; Bobby Sands (26,28,29,30 April, 7 May); RTE television appearance (8 May); drinking; royal wedding (29 July). Writing: comments on progress of novel; "Paddy's Purgatory"; Carlo Gebler, E. O' Brien (8 April); James Plunkett (1 May); Patrick Galvin (5 June); Sam McAughtry (10 September);Oireachtas prize (30 September); Dáithi Ó hÓgáin (10 October); Éamonn Ó hÓgáin (11 October). List of published articles and accounts at back of diary.

/31 January-December 1982. Collins Diary 1982. 26 x 20 cm. General: Falklands War (April); books; fund for Father Fell; finances; family; depression; wife's illness; job in Trondex; job in Kirk-Scott (chocolate store);television programmes. Writing: Beoir Bhaile; comments on progress of novel; full-time journalism and writing; scraps from a play, "An Radharc" (15 February, ff.); finishes novel (4 March); bad review (11 March); Dónal Ó Luanaigh (22 April); National Library of Ireland (22 April); invitation to appear on Granada Television; adjudicates Irish Post- B & I competition for Listowel Writers' Week; John McArdle (26 June); translating Schnitzer Ó Shea; Raidio na Gaeltachta. List of articles, and fees, at back of diary.

/32 January 1983- 19 January 1984. 1983 Page-a-day Diary. 29 x 20 cm. Note: This is a more substantial and detailed diary than most of the others. General: state of his marriage; finances; depressions; daughter, Mairin, has baby; plans to stop drinking (29 June); on-going efforts to stop drinking (unsuccessful); works with asbestos (8 October and passim); references to son, Jim. Writing and writers: plan to write a more detailed diary; translation of Schnitzer Ó Shea; ideas for stories; Antoine Ó Flatharta (9 January); Pádraig Ó Méalóid (9 January); Brendan Kennelly (21 January); Gerard Dawe (21 February); Proinnsias Mac Aonghusa, Breandan Ó hEithir (9 May); writing novel, Giolla na mBrog.

…32,596/33 March-December 1984. Letts 1984 Diary. 30 x 21 cm. Diary begins on 1 March. Personal: wife's illness; drinking; housework; job; daughter's child (9 June); tiredness (1 September); bad dreams (1 September); Brighton bomb (11 October); miners return to work (5 November); dreams; scarcity of money (16 November);dreams of being back at work (26 November); depression. Writing: notes for stories, articles etc. on pages for January, February; Irish Press stops publishing his articles (7 March); lecture in Kilkenny (5 April); Sean O Tuairisc (19 April); comments on writing novel; articles (fewer than previously); Liam O Flatharta (8 September); writing Schnitzer; decision to send Schnitzer to Brandon Press (3 October); finishes Schnitzer and sends it to Brandon (14 October); dreams about a novel for young people (6 November); plans play (6 November). Summing-up of the year at end of diary. List of articles published, and accounts, at end of diary.

/34 February 1984. Denby Dale Bumper Exercise Book. 20 x 16cm. Diary kept in 1984 before Mac Amhlaigh acquired the notebook used for 33 above. In very poor condition. Writing: notes for book for children, Giolla na mBrog; essay (in English) on Hibernicisms; other notes.

/35 January-December 1985. Collins Diary 1985. 21 x 14 cm. Gift from Yasmin and Nigel. Personal: morning depressions; state of his marriage; television and radio programs; books; Bob Geldof; applies for job as cleaner in Marks and Spencers; (which he doesn't get, or doesn't take); visits to the Job Centre; household economy; gardening; references to granddaughter, Aisling;dreams; job in Ryle Stewarts (9 July); loss of interest in drinking and reading (24 August); 59th birthday (10 December). Writing: reference to short story, "Dushlan"; Dr. Maire O'Shea (8 January); play, "Dualgas"; Brandon accept translation of Schnitzer (29 January); radio and television appearances;"renewal of inspiration" (20 March); David Marcus (30 April); short story, "The Poet, the Professor and the Genius", sent to BBC (2 May); doubts about point of writing in Irish (20 May); working on Schnitzer; novella, Caitlin; An Dithreabhach; lack of faith in writing (24 August); Brandon publishes Schnitzer (December); good reviews. Summing-up of year at end of diary (drank less than previously, suffered more from depression and arthritis). List of articles and accounts at back of diary.

…32,596/36 January-December 1986. 1986 Diary, John Menzies. 21 x 14 cm. Gift from Yasmin and Nigel. Personal: new job in Campbell Penman (6 January); dreams; working; teaches Irish classes (5 June); marital problems; books read; loses job (1 July); Royal wedding (25 July). Writing and writers: Schnitzer sells well;interest from “Late Late Show” (27 January) but he doesn't appear; Ita Daly (10 February); Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill (25 February); Críostóir Ó Floinn (1 March); short stories: "The Warrior"; "Aois na hÓige"; "Father Father"; Dáithi Ó hÓgáin (10 October); Éamonn Ó hÓgáin (11 October); Siobhan McKenna (15 November). List of short stories at back of diary.

/37 January-December 1987. 1987 Diary. W.H. Smith. 21 x14 cm. Personal: illness (26 January); Brid, his wife, ill in hospital (passim); reference to tiredness (15 June); move house (26 June); sick (27 June); dole cut (15 July); feels unwell (19 JulY). Writing: Schnitzer O'Shea to be published in paperback (26 January); adjudicates Irish Post competition; disappointing royalty cheque from Brandon (30 April); Tim O'Neill (20 June); references to short stories, "Daol", "Cantal", "In aois na hoige"; Schnitzer O' Shea on "Book at Bedtime" (1 October); Dialann Deoraí on Radio Éireann (November). List of articles, and fees, at back of diary. Summing-up of year at back of diary.

/38 January-December 1988. Letts' Desk Diary 1988 (Arabic edition). 14 x 21 cm. Personal: Son, Jim goes to Australia (27 January); morning depression; tiredness. Television programmes. Writing, Writers: Novel, "Step Together", on-going comments; Deirdre Madden; short stories. List of articles, short stories, notes on play, at back of diary. List of books read.

/39 1-6 January 1989. HMSO Diary 1985. 21 x 14 cm. Personal: comments on not feeling well; wife's illness; relationship with wife. Writing: plans novel, new Dialann Deoraí; writes articles.

/40 7-26 January 1989. Diary 1989. 21 x 14 cm. Personal: visit to doctor; work; housework; family; Birmingham Six; various news events. Writing: articles; idea for humorous history; short story.

B. NOTEBOOKS

32,596/41-53

32,596/41 HMSO Diary 1982. 21 x 13cm. Entitled "Anois" on cover. Notes on articles for Anois. Text of lecture on his own writing.

/42 15 x 8 cm. Notes on ideas for stories, plays, articles. 1982, 1984.

/43 HMSO Diary 1985. 21 x 14cm. Notes on short stories, plays, articles. General criticism of his own writing style.

/44 HMSO Diary 1986. 21 x 14 cm. Notes on articles, novel, plays.

/45 Collins Diary 1988. 30 x 20 cm. Notes on articles for Anois, Ireland's Own, Irish Times; short stories; summary of short story "A"; autobiographical notes; detailed notes on “Step Together” ; notes on slavery.

/46 15 x 10cm. Notes on television play; novels; plays.

/47 15 x 9cm. Notes on translation, plays.

/48 15 x 10cm. Notes on ; Saol Saighdiúra, short stories; articles; novels; autobiography. c. 1960.

/49 24 x 16 cm. Notes on short stories; articles; "Nano Ni Chathain" (story or novel).

/50 24 x 17 cm. Notes on "The Mill: a working-class boyhood"; on articles; on "Deoraithe".

…32/596/51

Silvine Memo Book. 16 x 8 cm. Notes on novel, stories, articles. Lists of Irish words.

/52 Silvine Exercise Book. 20 x 16 cm. Notes on short story competition (probably "Irish Post", Listowel); list of novels read.

/53 Manuscript of Uncompleted Novel. Oxfam Address Book. 21 x 14 cm. A few pages of text, character notes and general plot notes for an untitled novel.