4 - Correspondence and Papers of An tAthair Peadar Ó Laoghaire

4

Correspondence and Papers of An tAthair Peadar Ó Laoghaire

8 files and 7 items; Manuscript, typescript, clipping, and printed

The subseries comprises a small collection of papers relating to the Irish scholar and writer An tAthair Peadar Ó Laoghaire (Peter O’Leary). Ó Laoghaire was a prominent Irish language activist and member of Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic League). He published numerous books and articles on a range of topics, including an autobiography (‘Mo Sgéal Féin’), the first drama in Irish (‘Tadhg saor’), original prose, Irish translations of the Gospels, and translations of medieval Irish texts.

The collection includes Ó Laoghaire’s letters to Fr. Augustine Hayden OFM Cap. and Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., two Capuchin friars who shared his enthusiasm for the promotion of the Irish language. More broadly, the collection contains literary drafts, manuscripts such as ‘An Craos-Deamhan’, and newspaper clippings including a volume with his transcriptions and translations of the Life of Colum Cille. The papers highlight Ó Laoghaire’s promotion of ‘caint na ndaoine’, or spoken Irish, as the basis for modern Irish literature and include biographical materials reflecting his status in the Gaelic Revival.

Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. was interested in Ó Laoghaire’s career and sought to promote his contribution to the Irish language. He seemingly acquired most of this material for personal research. The Ó Laoghaire collection was later preserved among Father Senan’s personal papers.

Maynooth University Library holds a collection of the papers of An tAthair Peadar Ó Laoghaire. For a link to a descriptive list for this collection see https://nuim.libguides.com/c.php?g=704856&p=5075287

For an overview of the Maynooth University collection of Ó Laoghaire papers see also https://iar.ie/archive/peadar-o-laoghaire-archive/

ISAD(G) 2nd edition