Papers of Holy Trinity Church, Cork
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1 Irish Capuchin Archives Descriptive List Papers of Holy Trinity (Father Mathew Memorial) Church, Cork Collection Code: IE/CA/HT A collection of records relating to the Capuchin community in Cork city and in particular to the foundation known as Holy Trinity Church and Friary, Father Mathew Quay Compiled by Provincial Archivist September 2018 No portion of this descriptive list may be reproduced without the written consent of the Provincial Archivist, Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, Ireland, Capuchin Friary, Church Street, Dublin 7. 2 Table of Contents Identity Statement .................................................................................................................................. 3 Context .................................................................................................................................................... 4 History ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Archival History ................................................................................................................................... 5 Content and Structure ............................................................................................................................ 5 Scope and content .............................................................................................................................. 5 System of arrangement ...................................................................................................................... 6 Postnominal Abbreviation .................................................................................................................. 6 Access and Descriptive Control ............................................................................................................... 6 Illustrations ............................................................................................................................................. 7 1. The Community ................................................................................................................................... 9 1.1. Mass Books .................................................................................................................................. 9 1.1.1. Mass Register Books ............................................................................................................. 9 1.1.2. Mass Ledger Books.............................................................................................................. 11 1.2. Community Record Books .......................................................................................................... 12 1.3. Guardian Correspondence ......................................................................................................... 13 1.4. Community Lists, Horariums and Newsletters .......................................................................... 16 1.5. Community Elections ................................................................................................................. 18 2. Property and Lands ........................................................................................................................... 21 2.1. Title Deeds and Leases ............................................................................................................... 21 2.1.1. Queen Street (later Father Mathew Street) and Assembly Rooms Site ............................. 21 2.1.2. Charlotte Quay (later Father Mathew Quay) ...................................................................... 35 2.1.3. St Joseph’s Cemetery .......................................................................................................... 45 2.1.4. Other Locations (Cork City) ................................................................................................. 46 2.2. Schedules and Epitomes ............................................................................................................ 47 2.3. Legal Correspondence................................................................................................................ 49 2.4. Maps, Plans and Drawings ......................................................................................................... 52 2.5. Buildings, Repair and Maintenance ........................................................................................... 55 3. House Finances ................................................................................................................................. 63 3.1. Community Books of Account .................................................................................................... 63 3.2. Bank Accounts ............................................................................................................................ 67 3.3. Income Tax and Municipal Rates ............................................................................................... 68 3.4. Insurance .................................................................................................................................... 69 4. Sodalities and Confraternities ........................................................................................................... 70 5. Photographs and Visual Materials .................................................................................................... 75 6. Commemorative Material ................................................................................................................. 87 3 7. Historical Writings ............................................................................................................................. 88 8. Newspaper Cuttings .......................................................................................................................... 96 9. Holy Trinity Friary Library ................................................................................................................ 101 9.1. Capuchin Interest ..................................................................................................................... 101 9.2. Theological, Doctrinal and Controversial Works...................................................................... 103 9.3. The Fathers of the Church........................................................................................................ 106 9.4. Bibles, Concordances and Commentaries ............................................................................... 108 9.5. Collections of Church Documents ............................................................................................ 110 9.6. General History and Literature ................................................................................................ 111 10. Archival Catalogues ....................................................................................................................... 112 Holy Trinity Church and the adjoining Capuchin Friary viewed from the opposite bank of the South Channel, River Lee, Cork. Source: CA/HT/5/41 4 Identity Statement Reference Code IE/CA/HT Title Papers of Holy Trinity (Father Mathew Memorial) Church, Cork Creation Dates 1762-2007, predominately 1850-1980 Creator(s) Irish Capuchins Level of Description Fonds Extent 11 boxes, comprising 157 files, 157 items and 20 printed books Context History Although the Capuchins arrived in Cork as early as 1637 it was many years before they took up residence on the site now known as Holy Trinity Church and Friary. The early Capuchins initially resided on the southern side of the city, just outside the South Gate. The religious upheavals of the seventeenth century occasioned many hardships for the friars who lived in constant fear of arrest and banishment. By the early eighteenth century the Capuchins appear to have established a permanent apostolate in the South Parish and by 1741 had built a small Friary on Blackamoor Lane situated just behind O’Sullivan’s Quay. In 1771 the community was augmented by the arrival from France of Fr. Arthur O’Leary OSFC (1729-1802). A native of West Cork, he joined the Capuchin Order on the continent and was ordained in St. Malo in 1758. Fr. O’Leary was responsible for the building of the small chapel on Blackamoor Lane which subsequently became known as the ‘South Friary’. During the first half of the nineteenth century Cork city underwent a rapid expansion in both geographical size and population growth. It soon became apparent that the Friary on Blackamoor Lane was not sufficient to meet the demands of a growing congregation. By the mid-1820s, Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC (1790-1856), Provincial Minister of the Capuchins in Ireland and guardian of the Cork community, decided to build a larger church in a more convenient location. Rejecting a site on O’Sullivan’s Quay, a location on Charlotte Quay (now Father Mathew Quay) below Parliament Bridge was eventually acquired. This area was then a busy a trading and shipping centre with many provisioning merchants, artisans and traders having offices and stores on the quayside. As the city expanded, the emerging Catholic business class sought to assert its power in social life. This self- confidence was reflected in the grandiose, perpendicular Gothic design for the new Capuchin church which was submitted by the well-known Cork-based architect George Pain (1793-1838). Work commenced on the building in October 1832