ARA Newsletter Summer 2010

Click here for ARA Newsletter Summer 2010

A word from the Chair

Dublin City Archives Activities Relating to the North Strand Bombing

Gaiety School of Acting Archives

Representative Church Body News

Ancestral Interiors at the IAA

Unitarianism in Ireland

Historical Journeys: Travelling through Time

Donegal County Archives

02 Ability Award for Dublin Public Libraries and Archives

The Reformatory, Industrial and Training Schools Archive at PRONI

Publicity Officer's Report, Summer 2010

 

A word from the Chair

Dear friends and colleagues,

Welcome to the brand new e-Newsletter of the brand new Archives and Records Association, Ireland! Beyond the uplifting knowledge that we are saving trees, we are hoping that this format will offer us the flexibility we were missing with the hard copy newsletter. Our thanks go to Jennifer Boyle, our e-Newsletter Editor for her great work and thank you to you all for participating so actively.

As you now know, the Archives and Records Association came into the world officially on June, 1st 2010. The ARA is the result of the recent merger of the National Council on Archives and the Association of Chief Archivists in Local Government with the Society of Archivists. It is hoped that by combining the different perspectives of the three founder bodies it will be able to provide greater coherence and strategic focus for the archives sector as a whole. The first Annual General Meeting of the Archives and Records Association (UK & Ireland) will take place on September 1st 2010 at the Annual Conference in Manchester. By now, all of you should have received proxy voting papers as the first task will be to elect the new Council. All the previous Council members of the Society of Archivists, the National Council on Archives and the Association of Chief Archivists in Local Government have stood down so elections are being held for the whole Council which consists of four honorary officers and eight council members (ten people are running).

Following the momentum of the Action on Archives Symposium, a first meeting of the Committee took place on May 11th. The following points were discussed: composition of the 'Action on Archives' committee, selection of a chairperson, feedback from 'Archives in Crisis' symposium and proposals for future action. The most detailed and concrete long-term proposals were those made by Catriona Crowe in her address to the symposium on 10 April. These six-point vision for Irish Archives offer a good starting point:

(1) A revised National Archives Act providing for the preservation of the records of semi-state, health and eligious institutions, as well as the records of departments of state. (2) A custom-built facility capable of meeting the NAI's statutory obligations, with sufficient space to last into the twenty-second century. (3) An expansion in staffing levels to bring the NAI into line with other national archives services in countries of similar population size. (4) Concerted, coordinated and properly resourced provision for the preservation of the state's electronic ('born-digital') record heritage, already in considerable danger of loss. (5) A fully-resourced education service, which can provide for the needs of the primary, secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate sectors, and for lifelong learning. (6) And a fully resourced digitization unit, to continue the provision of free access to the country's records on the World-Wide Web. Another public symposium should be organised during the autumn.

Unfortunately, our efforts to gain some information regarding the amalgamation of the IMC and NAI into the NLI remain largely fruitless and our latest Freedom of Information request regarding the Head of Bills of the draft legislation was unsuccessful as we were refused access to most of the documentation. The next important date in our diaries will be August 25th for Archive Awareness Campaign launch and I am hoping to see you all in the National Archives of Ireland on that day. Have a lovely summer and see you in August!

Cécile Chemin
Chairperson, Archives and Records Association, Ireland

 

Dublin City Archives Activities Relating to the North Strand Bombing

On the night of 30-31 May 1941, 4 high explosive German bombs were dropped on the North Strand area of Dublin. This event had a devastating effect on the people of Dublin. At least 28 people were killed, 90 were injured and over 300 houses were damaged or demolished.

In May 2008, Dublin City Library and Archive launched an exhibition about the North Strand Bombing based on sources at Dublin City Archives. These sources included the Henry McCrae Photographic Collection, with images of the aftermath of the bombing, City Council files relating to salvage operations and re-housing the homeless, contemporary newspaper collections and private collection sources. The exhibition toured the 23 Library Branch network of Dublin Public Libraries.

Many of the visitors to the exhibition spoke to library staff about their own memories of the bombing. This provided a catalyst for the North Strand Oral History Project, which was begun in 2009 to capture and record reminiscences of the night and also stories passed on about the bombing from older relatives. The project was expanded in 2010, leading to a total of 15 individuals being interviewed.

In 2010, interviews were carried out by Marc Redmond, on behalf of Dublin City Archives, based on guidelines drawn up by Senior Archivist, Ellen Murphy.

The interviewees included Mr. Noel Brady, who participated in the rescue efforts as a member of St. John's Ambulance Brigade. Noel remembers "I was worried … would I get weak from seeing blood? (laughs). Once you got stuck in you weren't thinking. The only thinking was, if there was bleeding, stop it. Get the patients out of the way to hospital, or to the first aid if they were only cuts and bruises, or short things like shock just bring them up to the church…"

Kevin Mullan explained how life continued as normal after the bombing. He in fact made his Holy Communion the following day, though he did visit his father (who worked for the Dangerous Buildings Section of Dublin Corporation) at the bomb site.

Also interviewed was Alfreda O'Brien, whose grandfather Francis O'Brien worked as the glimmer man for the Gas Company, and was known locally as "the Galloper" for his ability to quickly move from one part of Dublin to the next. Alfreda explained how Francis prevented a major explosion in the gas mains by setting fire to a small spill, but was falsely accused by the local Air Raid Protection officer of trying to signal to the Germans.

Skype was also used to interview Mike Connolly who had memories of the bombing and now lives in South Africa.

All of interviews (transcripts, recordings) which were carried out, along with photographs of participants were added to the North Strand Bombing Reminiscences Website, which can be accessed at: www.northstrandbombings.wordpress.com

The website, which was developed by Dublin Public Libraries Web Unit, also includes an online form where members of the public can add their own stories of the bombing—thus contributing to growing archive of material relating to North Strand Bombing. The website has proven to be extremely popular with over 9000 page views since its launch in May 2009.

Dublin City Archives organised a day-long seminar titled the "North Strand Bombing and The Emergency" as part of Bealtaine 2010. The aim of the seminar was to explore the events of night in question, and also to understand the wider context in which the bombing happened. A talk by Eoin Bairead focused on other bombings which happened in Ireland in the period 1940-194, such as Campile and Donore Bombings. Col. Donal O' Carroll spoke about how the Irish army was transformed during the period of Emergency, and he mentioned in particular the excellent morale among members of the armed forces. Joe Miller, Red Cross Historian, gave an illustrative talk on the activities of Irish Red Cross during the Emergency. This included setting up of Irish Red Cross Hospital in France, a drive to donate Irish potatoes to European refugees, and anti-TB and anti-spitting campaigns. Kevin O'Connor spoke about issue of censorship during the Emergency, and how it affected sources. He emphasised how interviews with survivors of the bombing had greatly influenced and assisted his own research. The final talk was by Dr. Michael Kennedy, who focused on the records of the coast guards from the 30-31 May 1941, and how these could be used to re-construct the flight paths of German planes. Unsurprisingly given the huge interest in the topic, the seminar was fully booked, and concluded with a lively debate between speakers and contributors from the floor.

The Lord Mayor Emer Costello then performed the official launch of the Oral History Project Part 2 and presented each participant with a copy of their interview on CD.

All of the talks from the seminar have been recorded and transcribed, and will be available to download at: www.northstrandbombing.wordpress.com
in July 2010. Dublin City Archives has recently assisted with research into the bombing for a TV3 documentary which will be broadcast in July 2010. The North Strand Bombing Exhibition continues to tour the branch network of Dublin Public Libraries and will be on display in Ringsend Library in July and Charleville Mall
Library in August 2010.

Further information:
Ellen Murphy,
Senior Archivist;
01 674 4848;
cityarchives@dublincity.ie

Gaiety School of Acting Archives

The Gaiety School of Acting's latest production was not on a usual Dublin stage but it did feature its largest ensemble cast. Dublin City Library and Archive on Pearse Street has acquired the archive of the Gaiety School of Acting, the national theatre school of Ireland. On the 22 February 2010, The Dublin Room of Dublin City Library and Archives hosted an exhibition and evening of talks to mark the formal transfer of the Gaiety School's records into the Irish Theatre Archive, held at Dublin City Archives.

Some of Ireland's most celebrated actors, directors and writers have graduated, taught at or are simply associated with the Gaiety School of Acting. Managers, staff and past students such as Joe Dowling, Pat Laffan, Mary Elizabeth Burke Kennedy, Don Wycherly, Karl Shiels, Eva Birthistle, Catherine Walker, Keith McErlean, Orlaith Rafter, Stuart Townsend, Flora Montgomery, Rory Nowlan and countless others have made the Gaiety School an established and essential part of the Irish theatre scene.

Founded in 1986 by renowned actor, director and teacher, Joe Dowling, the Gaiety School of Acting evolved to meet head-on a distinct lack of acting training in Ireland. Originally offering just a nine week evening course the Gaiety School has grown beyond all realms of belief. According to Joe Dowling, "When we started, there was a dearth of training [available in Ireland]. We wanted people in the profession to train the next generation of actors. I'm very proud we began it".

Barry Houlihan, temporary archivist at Gaiety School of Acting, appraised and prepared the archive material for transfer to Dublin City Archives. The collection contains all administrative, financial and Board of Directors records from the schools inception in 1986 up to early 1997. This ten year span was crucial in the development of the Gaiety School. It oversaw its growth from a single part-time course to offering fulltime actor training as well as part time acting courses. This period also records two changes of premises, from humble beginnings on Baggot Street to the move in 1995 to the Gaiety School of Acting's current home on Sycamore Street in Templebar.

The move to Templebar highlights the Gaiety School as another major cultural institution that relocated to Templebar during the redevelopment of the area in the early and mid 1990s. The correspondence, building plans and other records document the immense planning that went into such a move and are a vital resource for any social researcher or historian of urban redevelopment. The Templebar project Gaiety School of Acting Archives grew from transformation of premises that were bought en masse by C.I.E. This urban redevelopment was happening in a period of Irish governance that saw three different Taoisigh from Charles Haughey, to Albert Reynolds to John Bruton, ranging from a Fianna Fail to Rainbow Coalition led Governments that took charge in pre-Celtic Tiger Ireland.

The history of the Gaiety School, however, runs a lot deeper than 1986. A Gaiety Theatre School existed in the 1940s and was headed by the celebrated actress and director Ria Mooney. Whilst the National Library of Ireland does hold a collection of Ria Mooney papers, it does not contain any reference to her time at the Gaiety School and pertain only to her capacity as head of the Abbey theatre school. Therefore very little documented evidence of this original Gaiety Theatre School exists. However, the Gaiety School of Acting has proudly deposited with Dublin City Archives a prospectus of the school from the year 1944 -45 and letter from Ria Mooney to a prospective student who was not successful in her desire to claim a place in the School in 1945.

The Gaiety School of Acting archive also contains all records of graduate productions and showcases from 1986 to early 2010. There is an extensive collection of programmes, flyers, posters, press cuttings, reviews, scripts and ephemera from these productions which present a stirring and visual snapshot of the success and productivity of the school. Scrapbooks of marketing and press information highlight the challenge of promoting an actor training school and also document how Irish media and expectations of advertising also grew during the twenty four years covered by the Gaiety School archive.

The archive also proudly boasts framed posters from productions directed by Gaiety School founder Joe Dowling at various Dublin theatres including The Gaiety Theatre, the Abbey Theatre and the Peacock Theatre. One of the most striking of these is a poster from the 1988 production of Translations by Brian Friel and directed by Joe Dowling. This production is often noted as being the definitive production of Translations and also starred the late, great actor Donal McCann.

The event on 22 February to mark the transfer of papers was made all the more special by an exhibition featuring highlights from the Gaiety School past that was wonderfully orchestrated by Ellen Murphy, senior archivist at Dublin City Archives. Cllr Kevin Humphries, Deputy Mayor of Dublin addressed the assembled crowd of past and present Gaiety students, Gaiety staff and Board of Directors and those who had fond memories of the School. The event was completed by the presence and speech by school founder Joe Dowling who travelled from his current position as director the Guthrie Centre in Minneapolis, U.S.A. Dowling spoke of how the school came to be and of the effort required on so many fronts to see the school evolve into what it is today: one of the main attractions of foreign tourism and investment to these shores. Sutton also addressed the students and described how to carve a career in the acting industry is not for the ill-committed and how it is not for the long established to call the shots in the industry but how it is ever more important for new creativity to rise and be noticed.

A video montage, expertly assembled by past student Simon Stewart presented the skill and talent of past and current Gaiety School students. Rounding off the night, Patrick Sutton added: "We are delighted at becoming part of the documented theatre history of Dublin and hope that the archive will prove to be of interest to researchers in the coming years. As many theatre companies are unfortunately falling victim to funding cuts and suffering as a result, the Gaiety School, which also manages the magnificent Smock Alley theatre is going from strength to strength and the commitment of its archive to a public institution is a great addition to the documented theatre heritage of Ireland."

Barry Houlihan

Representative Church Body

On Wednesday 16 June in St Werburgh's church, Dublin, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mary Hanafin TD, launched the second phase of the free genealogical website, irishgenealogy.ie which is being developed by her department in association with the National Archives.

This second phase consists of Church of Ireland registers of baptisms, marriages and burials from parishes in the city of Dublin, Co. Kerry and Co. Carlow. All these records had been transferred to the Representative Church Body Library in Dublin, which houses the archives of the Church of Ireland, and the staff of the RCB Library facilitated the digitization of the registers which was undertaken by Eneclann.

Copies of the scanned records were presented by the Minister to the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill for deposit in the RCB Library.

Dr. Raymond Refausse,
RCB Library

Ancestral Interiors
An exhibition of photographs of the Irish country house by Patrick Prendergast at the Irish Architectural Archive Gallery.

This exhibition puts on display a group of previously unpublished photographs by Patrick Prendergast which look afresh at life in the Irish country house in the closing decades of the last century. These remarkable images take as their subject matter the very clutter which had been rigorously removed from sight in earlier photographs of Irish interiors. The emphasis is on houses still in the ownership of the families who built them, fewer and fewer of which survive today.

Patrick Prendergast was born in Preston and studied film and photography at art school in London, later studying at University College London and at Moscow's Institute of Foreign Languages. He provided photographs of Ireland to illustrate J.P. Donleavy's A Singular County (1989) and Thomas Keneally's Now and In Time to Be (1991). Prendergast spent ten years working in the commodities business in the former Soviet Union and now lives and works in Geneva.

Prendergast offers an intimate, domestic, vision, a 'behind the scenes' look at life in the Big House, and casts an affectionate glance at the interiors and material culture of houses which, perhaps anachronistically, still struggle to survive in modern Ireland.

Almost twenty years after they were taken, Prendergast's work is finally seeing the light of day and a major photographic talent has been revealed. In addition to the technical skill they display, the empathetic nature of his images, with their deep understanding of context and character, makes for a highly original evocation of time and place. Rarely before has the personality of the Irish country house and its inhabitants been so eloquently captured.

The exhibition coincides with the book Ancestral Interiors, Photographs of the Irish Country House by Patrick Prendergast. This is published by the Irish Architectural Archive through the generosity of John Belmore, and includes an introduction by William Laffan and a foreword by the Knight of Glin.

The Irish Architectural Archive Gallery at 45 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 is open to the public from 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesdays to Fridays.

Colum O'Riordan
Irish Architectural Archive

Unitarianism in Ireland:

The Dublin Unitarian Church Collection in the Royal Irish Academy

Introduction

The Royal Irish Academy holds an important collection of documentation relating to the emergence of Unitarianism in Ireland. The Dublin Unitarian Church Collection was donated to the Academy in two stages, between 2006 and 2007. The cataloguing project was part-funded by The Heritage Council.

The birth of Unitarianism in Ireland can be traced back to the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, with the arrival of English Puritans on Irish soil and Scottish Presbyterian Planters in Ulster. Despite its Christian origins, Unitarianism has no set
doctrines or dogmas. Embracing a more liberal religious view, it looks to other religions and philosophies for inspiration in its quest for truth. A fundamental difference between the theology of Unitarianism and that of other Christian denominations is the belief in the single personality of God rather than the doctrine of the Trinity.

With the exception of the Prince's Street congregation in the city of Cork, the majority of Unitarian congregations in Ireland were Dublinbased by the 1700s. Two congregations flourished at this time. The first was based in Strand Street. Following the erection of the new Strand Street meeting house in the 1760s, the community at Wood Street decided to merge with their neighbours. The Cook Street congregation followed shortly afterwards, moving to Strand Street in 1787.

The second major congregation in Dublin was located in Eustace Street. The community was originally based in New Row, taking a lease for a new site on Eustace Street in the late 1720s upon which to build a new meeting house. In July 1866, 'A Resolution of the Committee of Eustace Street Congregation was laid before the meeting as to the proposed amalgamation of that congr[egation] with the Stephens Green congr[egation].' The new Unitarian church, located at 112 St. Stephen's Green and designed by architects Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon of Belfast, was to become home to the congregations of Strand Street and Eustace Street. The premises continue to be used by the Unitarian community today.

The Dublin Unitarian Church Collection

Consisting of over 1700 documents, the Dublin Unitarian Church Collection contains correspondence, minute books, subscription lists, cash books, school registers, reports, sermons and lectures. The documents date from between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries, and relate to the Unitarian community of Dublin and some of its predecessor congregations, located over time at premises in Wood Street, Cook Street, Eustace Street, Strand Street, and St. Stephen's Green. The documents provide an overview of the daily activities of the different congregations, addressing a variety of different subjects including the management and administration of the charity schools, apprenticeships of pupils, appointments of staff and committee members, property dealings, meetings of the Synod of Munster,congregational accounts and funds, maintenance of church and school premises, erection of memorial tablets, admissions to the widows' alms house, subscriptions and donations, and the union of congregations.

Role in Irish Education

The role of the Unitarian community in Irish education is well documented in the Dublin Unitarian Church Collection. Minute books, account books and school registers provide valuable information on the establishment of charity schools by the Unitarian community in Dublin during this period. The minute books in particular address a range of different subjects, including school accommodation, apprenticeships for pupils, staff appointments, discipline, diet and nutrition, building repairs, and pupil numbers. The provision of an education and the opportunity to enter into service or undertake an apprenticeship for children was encouraged by the formation of these educational institutions.

A handwritten document in the collection referring to the establishment of one of these bodies, the Singleton Female School (attached to St. Stephen's Green Unitarian Church and located in Summer Hill), reflects this aim. It notes that the object of the school is to 'establish & maintain a boarding school for girls in which instruction shall be given to render them good & efficient domestic servants' (RIA/ DUC/2/122). Other school records of significance include account books with information on the domestic expenditure of the school facilities, providing an insight also into the weekly diet of the pupils and staff. Admission registers also provide important information about each pupil, recording their name, age when admitted, parent's name, length of time in school and destination after their education is complete.

Securing Accommodation

Securing suitable accommodation for the congregations and their schools is a regular theme throughout the collection. A report 'that filthy water and other refuse are constantly flung from neighbouring windows upon the schoolhouse roof' is recorded in the minutes of Strand Street's Managing Committee, dated 5 August 1852, (RIA/DUC/STR/10A). The Singleton Female School also faced problems with their neighbours, noting in their 1899 minutes 'the disadvantage of being situated in a very undesirable locality with tenement houses on either side which are at times occupied by a very low class of people' (RIA/DUC/STE/8). The ongoing maintenance and repair of school and church buildings is also addressed in the minutes. The proceedings of a meeting held by the Eustace Street congregation, dated 6 February 1899, notes a list of requirements for its new school premises, which includes 'accommodation for at least 18 girls to be provided; an extra room for isolating a case of illness; a laundry & conveniences for drying clothes; a large bedroom for the matron' (RIA/DUC/EUS/3).

Sermons

The collection also contains a series of handwritten drafts of sermons and lectures, dating from between 1770 and 1927, revealing the attitudes and beliefs of the community at this time. The documents address a wide range of different subjects, including the spirit of Christianity, post offices, National Gallery, Oliver Cromwell, cult of the Virgin Mary, Oliver Twist, function of a church, Ruskin, secularisation of politics, and Unitarianism as a world movement.

A significant portion of the documentation appears to be executed in the hand of Rev. E. Savell Hicks of St. Stephen's Green Church.

Financial Affairs and Property Dealings.

The financial affairs of congregations can be gleaned from a series of cash books contained in the archive. The volumes record all of the debits and credits relating to the various funds and accounts connected to the Unitarian community.

These include the Charity School Fund, Contingency Account, Plunkett Widows Fund, Psalmody Account, Female School Marriage Portion Fund, Widows' Alms House Account, and St. Stephen's Green Church Head Rent Fund.

The property interests of the Unitarian community in Dublin are well recorded in the collection, with relevant documents including minute books, bound lists of deeds, leases, letters and cash books. Documents refer to the leasing of properties owned by the Unitarians, with frequent references to the issue of tenants in arrears. One entry in the minutes of the Managing Committee of Strand Street, dated 20 April 1859, notes 'the occupiers of rooms in Swan Alley (a wretched class of tenants) refused to pay rent and have given considerable trouble' (RIA/DUC/STR/10A). A letter dated 23 April 1850 from a tenant at Clonegowan in County Offaly, provides the following account: 'There is no Tenant more annoyed by under fellows than I was or have been, they robbed me of my rents. They demolished the mansion house & offices, even the garden they have defaced wantonly, without benefit to themselves' (RIA/DUC/EUS/7).

Property dealings are also reflected in a collection of lease agreements, including a copy of a lease, dated 13 January 1838, between the Right Reverend Robert Lord Bishop of Ferns, Leighlin and Ossory of first part, Ecclesiastical Commissioners for Ireland of second part, and Reverend Charles Peter Thomas of County Carlow, Clerk, of third part, relating to the lands of Gurteen in town of Old Leighlin in County Carlow, amounting to 243 acres 2 roods and 14 perches (statute measure), and to be conveyed unto Reverend Charles Peter Thomas for the yearly rent of £83:16:8 (RIA/DUC/2/1). In addition, is a memorial of an indented deed, dated 14 July 1761, between Right Honourable Robert Earl of Belvedere of the first part and Charles Caldwell of the city of Dublin, Esquire, George Maconchy and William Hamilton, both of Dublin city, Doctors of Physics, and Robert Montgomery, Thomas Blair and Robert Holmes, all of Dublin city, merchants, of the second part, relating to a plot of ground on the north side of Strand Street in the parish of St. Mary's in the city of Dublin, and granting land unto Maconchy, Hamilton, Mongomery, Blair and Holmes in consideration of the sum of £522:15:0 sterling (RIA/DUC/2/65).

Assisting the Poor

The documentation contained in the collection also reveals the community's dedicated campaign to provide assistance to the poorest members of society, through their fund raising and committee work. The establishment of a widows' alms house on Cork Street, Dublin, by the congregation at Eustace Street bears testament to this. The development of this facility to accommodate widows without adequate means was achieved through a generous donation from Mr. Ralph Cards. In his will dated 14 April 1744, Cards states 'I Bequeath the three poor houses Erected by my said Father in Cork street...to the officers of the said Meeting house in Eustace street' (RIA/DUC/EUS/2). An entry in the 1810 minutes lists the rules and regulations of the house noting anyone admitted should 'keep themselves clean & decent & regularly attend Divine Service in the Lord's Day'  (RIA/DUC/EUS/4). In addition, there are references in the records of St. Stephen's Green Church to the development of the Huxley Housing Scheme, a dedicated accommodation plan for widows, in the early twentieth century.

New Appointments and the Role of Women

New appointments to the church community are also recorded in the archive, with a particular reference in the minutes for Eustace Street congregation, dated 1 May 1842, to the salary and allowances of the newly appointed sexton and sextoness as 'Ten pounds per annum, an allowance of Coals and Candles, with apartments in the rere of the building lately occupied as the Boys School' (RIA/DUC/EUS/7). An entry in one particular volume, dated 10 October 1956, contains instructions for cleaning staff from [Rev. E. Savell Hicks of St. Stephen's Green Unitarian Church], and states 'Please sweep ceiling of Ladies' Cloakroom & lavatory–cobwebs– including lamp shade in lavatory where the cobwebs look like a lace frill!!!!' (RIA/DUC/STE/28).

The role of women in the management of church affairs is reflected in an entry in the minutes of St. Stephen's Green's Finance Committee, dated 30 June 1940, which reads 'for the first time in the history of our Church, a lady, Mrs Saville, attended as a member of the Finance Committee, acted as Chairman of the meeting, and signed cheques in payment of accounts' (RIA/DUC/STE/17).

Dealings with Other Denominations

An entry in a minute book for Strand Street Unitarian Church, dated 17 November 1850, indicates the influence of other religious denominations on the community at the time, noting 'The Catholic priest commands the parents to remove their child from a Protestant school...many of the elder girls have been taken away during the past year' (RIA/DUC/STR/5). A letter from Most Reverend John Charles McQuaid, Archbishop of Dublin, to Rev. E. Savell Hicks of St. Stephen's Green Church, reveals the level of contact between the different religious denominations over a century later. The document, dated 16 February 1964, refers to an invitation to the ordination ceremony of Rev. Kenneth Wright. It states 'May I ask you to thank for me your Managing Committee and to request them to understand that it is not a ceremony at which I may assist' (RIA/DUC/STE/21A).

Union of Congregations

The unions of different Unitarian congregations in Dublin at various stages throughout the history of the church can most likely be attributed to the community's declining numbers and inadequate accommodation. These amalgamations are well documented in the archive, with a reference in the minutes of the Managing Committee of Eustace Street Unitarian congregation, dating 31 July 1866, as follows: 'That this Congregation is ready to carry out the proposed union with the Stephen's Green Congregation…And to follow as nearly as possible the [model] adopted on the occasion of the union of the Cook St. and Strand St. Congregations' (RIA/DUC/EUS/12).

Irish Unitarian Christian Society and Other Bodies

The origins of the Irish Unitarian Christian Society are recorded in three volumes contained in the collection, which include the proceedings at meetings of the Society and a cash book. An entry in a minute book, dated 17 March 1830, refers to the
formation of a committee in Dublin consisting of seventeen members, noting 'That this Meeting, conscientiously believing Unitarianism to be the doctrine of the Gospel, regards the formation of a bond of union among its professors in this country, as important to the interests of pure Christianity'  (RIA/DUC/IUCS/1). It also refers to the establishment of four district societies in Counties Down and Cork, and its sympathies with Unitarian communities in other parts of the world. An entry in the same minute book, dated 17 April 1837, notes expressions of sympathy with Unitarian Christians of New England on the subject of slavery and commending 'the efforts made by them to obtain the blessings of freedom for the Negro population of the United States'. Interestingly, towards the rear of one of the volumes, a cash book, there is a list of the names of Jewish children (entries dating between 1916 and 1936) with additional information such as their dates of birth, address and fathers' occupation.

Some material also relates to the Southern Association of Ireland, with one cash book recording resolutions relating to the division of the Association into two bodies, one consisting of ministers and lay representatives of Eustace Street and Strand Street in Dublin, Clonmel in Tipperary and Bandon and Prince's Street in Cork, 'from henceforth the Southern Association, United Presbytery or Synod of Munster' and the other consisting of Rev. Samuel Hans Sloane and ministers and elders of Presbyterian congregations of Waterford, Fethard, Limerick, Fermoy and Summerhill, constituting 'a separate Ecclesiastical Society or body' (1 August 1849). This split came about as a result of differing opinions of members of the body on the proceedings of a suit in the Chancery Court in Ireland by Rev. David Wilson and others against Rev. Joseph Hutton and others.

A collection of documents relating to the Cork congregation located on Prince's Street, forms part of the holdings of Cork City and County Archives. It includes vestry minutes, baptism and marriage registers, lists of subscribers and financial
records.

Conclusion

The Dublin Unitarian Church Collection provides a fascinating and detailed account of the Unitarian community in Ireland and its development between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries. The multifaceted role of the Church as spiritual leader, educator, landlord, philanthropist and employer isrevealed in the wide range of documents that make up this important archive.

Some of the documents contained in the collection contain sensitive information about persons and families, whose right to privacy must be protected. In order to ensure this, closure periods have been applied to some of the more recent material.

For further details please contact the library at the Royal Irish Academy (www.ria.ie).

Further Reading
Armstrong, J., Sermon, discourse on Presbyterian ordination, address of the young minister, prayer on ordaining, and charge: delivered by the ministers of Dublin at the ordination of the Rev. James Martineau to the co-pastoral office over the congregation of Eustace-Street, Dublin: with an appendix containing
a summary history of the Presbyterian churches in the city of Dublin. Dublin, 1829.
Ffeary-Smyrl, S; Dictionary of Dublin Dissent – Dublin's Dissenting Meeting Houses 1660-1920. Dublin, 2009.
Humphreys, P., An Alphabet of Unitarian Thought: Unitarian Church, Dublin. Dublin, 1985.
Kilroy, P; Protestant Dissent and Controversy in Ireland, 1660-1714. Cork, 1994.
Latimer, W.T., History of the Irish Presbyterians. Belfast, 1902.
Wright, G.N., An Historical Guide to Ancient and Modern Dublin. London, 1821.
Wright, K., The Unitarian Congregation in Dublin: a short historical note. Dublin, 1985.
http://www/nspresbyterian.org/pages/history.htm
http://www.unitarianchurchdublin.org/history.htm
Roisin Berry

ARAI Sub-Committee on Indexing and Authority Control

The ARAI Sub-Committee on Indexing and Authority Control is currently completing a standard of Irish guidelines for indexing and authority controlled terms. The Sub-committee has been meeting since last October and hope to complete the guidelines by late summer. The guidelines will complement the 'Irish Guidelines on Archival Description' produced by the Irish Region last year.
Mary Mackey

Historical Journeys: Travelling through Time Trinity College Library and the Europeana Travel

In May 2009 Trinity College Library joined 19 other European partners in embarking on an imaginative new digitisation project. Europeana Travel is an EU -funded project that will channel digital content from Europe's national and university libraries into www.Europeana.eu. Over 2 years, Europeana Travel will digitise over one million resources, including manuscripts, maps, photographs, films, books and postcards on the themes of travel, tourism, trade routes and exploration.

Europeana, the European digital library museum and archive, was launched in November 2008 and provides integrated access to digitised treasures from repositories around Europe. A portal to nearly 5 million digital resources, Europeana.eu is a collaboration between universities, research institutes and content providers. The Europeana Travel project, co-ordinated by the National Library of Estonia, will digitise rich collections from many well-known national and research libraries in Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK.

Trinity College Library, the only Irish participant in the project, is contributing two distinct collections of material. The first is a collection of travel journals dating from the late-18th to the mid-19th centuries, documenting the tours of individuals and families to Europe and further afield. In bringing together material on travel and tourism from different countries, this will enable users to make comparisons of different national perspectives, offering a new dimension for education, business, social networking and travel.

The second collection is that of Major Richard William George Hingston (1887-1966). Educated at University College Cork, Hingston was a surgeon, an author, a naturalist, a geographer and an adventurer. He served in France, Africa and the Middle East during World War I, and in 1920 published A Naturalist in Himalaya (London, 1920) detailing his 1914 and 1916 travels in the Himalayan valley of Hazara, in what is now Pakistan. His hitherto unexploited personal papers contain information on an illfated Everest expedition in 1924. As a naturalist he collected over 10,000 animal samples and 500 plant specimens during that expedition. Among his finds was a species of Black Attid spider he discovered living at 22,000 feet, the highest known habitat for any animal. He also kept records of his scientific trips to Greenland and Pamir and trips to Africa for the preservation of African fauna.

Trinity College's Manuscripts & Archives Research Library and Digital Resources Imaging & Services are working closely together on the project and the first of the digitised images will appear in an online exhibition on the Europeana Travel website in the coming weeks. To learn more about the project visit: www.europeanatravel.eu
Caoimhe Ni Ghormain
Trinity College Library

Recent activities at Donegal County Archives

Who Do You Think You Are Donegal

Donegal County Archives Service, the County Library, County Museum and Donegal District Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages all came together for the festival of Bealtaine in Central Library, Letterkenny, on four successive Wednesdays to assist people in researching their family roots.

Staff members from all the Services were available in the library each Wednesday morning to assist people in their research. Samples from various collections of the Archives, Library and District Registry were on display, including valuation registers, electoral records, maps, rentals, and birth, marriage and death registers. Also available were guides, books and leaflets. Online resources were made accessible, including the 1911 census and Griffith's Valuation. Individuals and local history groups flocked to the library each Wednesday morning, and many were delighted to discover that in spite of the loss of so much of our recorded heritage over the last century, much has nonetheless survived. Many more were happy to learn how to commence the daunting task of delving into their ancestry.

Staff from the District Registry drew up the family trees of local celebrities, Seán Doherty from Highland Radio, and Altan's Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Donegal Person of the Year, and displayed them at the library during the event. Who do you think you are, Donegal was a resounding success and it is hoped that similar sessions will take place in other parts of the county again soon.

Reminiscences

Also for Bealtaine Archives and Museum staff visited local people attending day centres across the county. Archives on display included school registers, valuation records from their area, plans of labourers' cottages, and photos of towns, villages and railways. Artefacts from the County Museum included a World War II ration book and helmet, an old lighthouse bulb, a pair of bloomers, a piece of Killybegs carpet, postcards, and a spinning top. These reminiscence sessions are a long established and greatly successful part of Cultural Services' Bealtaine festival, inspiring in older people often forgotten memories and nostalgia for a bygone era. It is a wonderful way of bringing archives and artefacts to people in all parts of the county who might never otherwise have an opportunity to view them in their permanent locations in Lifford and Letterkenny.

Acquisitions in the Archives

Recent acquisitions in Donegal County Archives include a beautiful book of maps of the townlands of Letterkenny, undated but probably from the mid nineteenth century. The delicately illustrated maps are from the estate of Colonel Henry Vaughan Brooke and feature the names of tenants who rented parcels of land across several townlands.

Another exciting acquisition in the Archives is a number of early electoral registers from 1889 and 1902. The 1902 registers are of particular interest as they include the names of women householders who were first entitled to vote in local government elections under the 1898 Local Government Act. One of the 1889 Dunfanaghy supplemental registers carries the name of Father James McFadden, the famous (or infamous) priest who was accused in that same year of the murder of Inspector William Martin during a riot in the village. He was later acquitted of the murder. For more information contact:
Niamh Brennan
archivist@donegalcoco.ie
074 91 72490

O2 Ability Awards Trophy received by Dublin Public Libraries
and Archives Service

Dublin City Libraries and Archives Services were named winners of the Learning, Development and Progression Category at this year's O2 Ability Awards and were shortlisted in the category of Customer Services. This is the second year that DCLA has entered the Awards and last year we were designated as an 'ability organization'. The process of feedback from 2009 has allowed us to reflect on how we engage with disability and to improve our responses, leading to this year's award.

The O2 Ability Awards were created by Kanchi, a social enterprise foundation committed to enhancing the relationship between people with disabilities and society, by recognizing organizations and business leaders that think differently about people with disabilities. The idea is to go beyond the legal minimum as laid down in the Disability Act 2005 and engage in a real and meaningful dialogue with people with disabilities, leading to a positive outcome. It's important to remember that any of us might become disabled in the future, whether through accident, illness, sports injury or old age, bringing a realization – often sudden - that the world needs to be negotiated in a whole new way.

Technology assisted devices provided by Dublin City Public Libraries throughout the service (including the Reading Room at Dublin City Library & Archive) include larger keyboards, magnifiers, loop systems for hearing aids and software that converts text into audio files. Special programmes for staff are in place and include training in disability awareness; sign language; Braille printers; and training in providing services to people with mental health issues. The judges were very impressed with one particular initiative—the O2 Ability Award for Dublin Public Libraries and Archives input required to meet the higher standards of the Ability Awards is relatively modest, as it relates mainly to staff training and adaptive technologies.

Bibliotherapy Project 'Books Can Help'.
Pioneered in Ireland by the DPL Divisional Librarian Human Resources, this is a partnership project with the Health Service Executive. Participating doctors suggest that patients with mild to moderate health issues should read particular books which can give them a fresh perspective. In the past two years, over 5,500 books have been borrowed as part of the project, which has now been adopted at national level.

Two specific contributions by Dublin City Archives were:
• Web-provision of North Strand Bombing oral history in audio and written formats, facilitating access equally to persons with sight or hearing difficulties (Ellen Murphy)
• Provision of Dublin City Electoral Rolls database in large-print format in the Reading Room (Mary Clark)

We would encourage archives services to consider entering for the O2 Ability Awards. The assessment process is designed to be helpful and feedback is constructive. Although compliance with the 2005 Disability Act can be expensive (particularly when buildings have to be adapted) the financial

For more information, visit www.theabilityawards.com
Mary Clarke
Dublin City Archivist

The Reformatory, Industrial and Training Schools Archive at PRONI

The Reformatory, Industrial and Training School (RITS/1-16) archive held in PRONI comprises approximately seventy volumes. The archive spans over a century from 1874–1979, with the schools ranging geographically across the north of Ireland. It comprises volumes from the whole spectrum of society and contains registers for both female and male, and Protestant and Roman Catholic schools. The Reformatory, Industrial and Training Schools archive may be considered invaluable for researchers and genealogists alike and is outlined below.

Nineteenth Century social reform resulted in changes to educational and criminal law in GB and Ireland. These included changing social attitudes towards children that led to the adoption of legislation that enabled society to remove children who failed to follow society's rules. In 1854, the Reformatory Schools Act in Great Britain was established, followed by the Reformatory Schools (Ireland) Act in 1858.

The Acts facilitated the creation of reformatory schools for children found guilty of criminal offences who had possibly been previously arrested.

In 1857, the Industrial Schools Act in Great Britain was established and a subsequent Act was passed in 1868 for Ireland. The Acts facilitated the creation of industrial schools. These were intended for neglected children or those who were considered to be in danger of contact with criminals. Prior to these Acts, children were either admitted to Prison, the Workhouse or "Ragged Schools" (so called due to the ragged clothes worn by the children, where they gained an education). PRONI's oldest records are for Hampton House Industrial School (RITS/4), a Protestant girl's school based at Balmoral, Belfast, for 1874-1932.

The Malone Reformatory (Training School) Belfast (1860-1968) was established by a voluntary body of citizens. Its records include registers in RITS/5 (c.1915-c.1979), school records in SCH/1033 (c.1866-c.1950) and records of the Cabinet Secretariat including financial requests and the proposal to create a Northern Ireland borstal Institution. This proposal culminated in the Malone Training School Bill (CAB/9/B).

By the end of the nineteenth Century, Belfast's economy was booming through industries such as linen trade and ship-building. Within the first two decades of the Twentieth Century, a decline brought many social problems, including the abandonment of children. Consequently, more schools were created. PRONI holds records for some of these Industrial Schools including, Saint Catherine's, Strabane 1903-1949 (RITS/12); Saint Patrick's (Milltown), Belfast 1911-1966 (RITS/13); and Middletown, Armagh c.1917–c.1971 (RITS/6). Further records for the Middletown School are held in PRONI's private record archives such as, Middletown Boys (No. 1) School (D1495), Middletown Convent School (D1498), and Middletown No. 2 School (SCH/214).

Due to the lack of suitable buildings within Belfast, citizens who wished to create schools had to either look towards the city limits or to alternative options, for example the Grampian Training Ship (RITS/3) berthed in Belfast Lough. This Training Ship began its naval life as the "Gibraltar" in 1860. In 1889, it was loaned to the Belfast Training Ship Committee and renamed the "Grampian", in consequence of the Royal Navy changing from wood to iron and from sail to steam. The foremast sails and whaleboats were retained on these old men-ofwar ships for the purpose of training inmates for future employment. When fully converted for use as a training ship, the accommodation comprised 300 hammock-type bunks. PRONI hold the records of the Grampian Training Ship from 1896-1899. Afterwards, children were transferred to Balmoral Industrial School.

Back on land, the Nazareth Lodge Industrial School (RITS/8) was established (c. late-1870s) and located at the Ormeau and Ravenhill Roads, South Belfast. The school incorporated Saint Joseph's Orphanage for babies and was taken over by the Catholic Church in the mid-1950s. PRONI holds records for Nazareth Lodge Industrial School (RITS/8) from 1914-1948. PRONI also hold architectural records (D4260) and elevation drawings of its Chapel (D2403/A/1). The archive D2740/3 holds annual accounts of subscriptions to Nazareth Lodge including subscriber's names and addresses. Another Ormeau Park institution was Fox Lodge Industrial School (RITS/2). PRONI has records for 1884- 1894. On 10 January 1884, Fox Lodge was granted a certificate to accommodate sixty boys and eventually rose to 133.

In 1897, the committee obtained a lease from Sir James Musgrave for a former Model Farm and 22 acres situated at Musgrave Park, Balmoral, Belfast. The certificate was issued on 23 November 1897. Fox Lodge was closed and the children transferred on 30 November. PRONI holds records for Balmoral Training School (RITS/1) from 1882-1965.

The effectiveness of the Industrial Schools Act meant that by 1907 numbers had risen to 442 at Balmoral Training School. Following the passing of the 1908 Children's Act, industrial school committal became regarded as a last resort as children would bear the stigma for life. Numbers continued to decline except for a brief influx in 1917 with the transfer of young people from Meath Industrial School, Blackrock which had been requisitioned as a military hospital. By 1919, numbers had fallen to 263. Negotiations between the Balmoral Training School Committee and the Belfast Corporation resulted in the take-over of the school by the Belfast Corporation's Children Act Committee on 30 June 1920.

The following year, the school's work was disrupted by the effects of civil disturbances following the partition of Ireland. Under the Restoration of Order in Ireland Act of 1921, the military authorities requisitioned Balmoral Training School for the purposes of billeting a regiment, resulting in the school seeking alternative premises. These were eventually found at the Belfast Workhouse, where the school carried on under difficulties until December 1922. In due course the school returned to Balmoral. The outbreak of the Second World War presented further problems for the school. In 1940, notice was given that the school was to be converted into a military hospital. This resulted in less available accommodation. Eventually the Royal Army Medical Corps provided four hospital tents, each holding 25 boys on the cricket pitch in Musgrave Park and small tents for staff. The Committee continued searching for alternative premises and in October 1940 the school moved to the Victoria Homes which incorporated Shamrock Lodge Industrial School (RITS/11) on the Ballysillan Road, Belfast.

The Victoria Homes were founded in 1881 by the Belfast Women's Temperance Association with the first home for girls opening on 20 May 1882. Shamrock Lodge Industrial School (RITS/11) opened its doors in Lagan Valley in 1887. However, this home was still unsuitable and funds were raised to build a new school. In 1892, the first of the Victoria Homes, located at Ballysillan was opened. By the 1930s, there were six homes at this site including Shamrock Lodge Industrial School. PRONI's (RITS/11) records date from 1904–1968. Privately deposited material includes D/3606 comprising minute books, reports, and registers from c.1866-c.1967, in addition to school records (SCH/178) for the Victoria Home Public Elementary School from c.1926-c.1933.

In October 1940, the girls from these schools were evacuated to Greenisland to newly acquired premises known as Whiteabbey. This school came to be known as the Sacred Heart Industrial School. PRONI holds records in RITS/10 (1925-1972) and various school records in SCH/1229 (c.1876 – c.1959).

For the same time period, PRONI holds records from the Ministry of Home Affairs (RITS/16) for 1921- 1956. The Ministry was responsible for various non-economic, domestic matters in Northern Ireland for 1921-1972 including Reformatory, Industrial and Training Schools. For further information on the operation of the Reformatory and Industrial Schools, the HA/10 archive held by PRONI contains documents including: Certificates issued, Inspector and Medical Officer Reports, Inquiry reports, rule lists and financial documentation. PRONI also holds within the Department of Education archive, correspondence registers for National and Primary Schools from c.1883 – c.1967 (ED/6/3) covering the six counties of Northern Ireland.

After the Second World War, another series of social reforms was implemented. This resulted in changes to educational law that reflected postwar society. For example, following the Children and Young Peoples Act (1950), Woburn House, near Millisle, County Down, was taken over by the Government and established as a Borstal
Institution.

In 1956, an Act of Parliament - The Malone and Whiteabbey Training Schools Act - was passed, the effect of which was to amalgamate the Balmoral Junior School with the Malone Reformatory Senior School and to place them under a new Board of Management. In October 1956, the Board began its task of running three separate establishments: Sacred Heart (Whiteabbey) Industrial School for Girls, Balmoral Training School and Malone Training School. Balmoral Junior School was closed and the borstal aspect of all three schools was moved to new premises at Woburn House.

Currently, the Reformatory, Industrial and Training School (RITS) archive held in PRONI has six volumes that are available to the public; the remainder are subject to a 100 year closure. However, requests for access may still be made in writing to PRONI. The types of records include School Admission and Discharge Registers, Incident and Punishment Registers, Visitor Registers, Account Ledgers and School Return Forms incorporating general school correspondence. Information contained within the Admission Registers includes child details such as name, date of birth, address, reason and date of committal, and details of discharge.

Further details such as parent's names, the child's physical appearance and level of education are also included in some School Registers. Of particular significance, PRONI holds the first Industrial School Register (1884-1894) for FoxLodge, Belfast when it opened its doors in 1884, and the final Industrial School Register (1896–1899) for the Grampian Training Ship, Belfast Lough when it closed in 1899.

Alan W. Robertson
PRONI

Publicity Officer's Report, Summer 2010

The time is fast approaching for Archive Awareness 2010. In previous years, combining Archive Awareness with Heritage Week proved very successful. In view of this, we are continuing to forge closer links with Heritage Week, organised by the Heritage Council every August. The aim of this is for archives services to host an event for Heritage Week and Archive Awareness jointly in order to maximise limited resources and available publicity. We have been in touch with the Heritage Council who have assured us of their continued support.

I am delighted to confirm that Archive Awareness Campaign will be launched during Heritage Week on Wednesday 25th August at 6pm in the National Archives, Bishop Street by Professor Roy Foster. Archive Awareness Campaign will continue through to the end of September 2010.

If you are hosting an event for Heritage Week/Archive Awareness Campaign can you please contact Publicity Officer, Deirdre McParland, email
Deirdre.mcparland@diageo.com. All events will be posted on
www.learnaboutarchives.ie  www.heritageweek.ie and www.archiveawareness.com.

The theme for this year's Archive Awareness Campaign is 'Discovery – Archives in Science, Technology & Medicine'. As always events relating to any theme in your Archive is welcome. Further information is available on www.archiveawareness.com

Culture Night takes place during our Archive Awareness Campaign also. Last year many archive services took part in culture night. This year Culture Night takes place on Friday 24 September. Further information is available on www.culturenight.ie

I look forward to a very successful Archive Awareness Campaign 2010 and hope to hear from you soon about upcoming Archive Awareness Events. I will be in contact over the coming weeks with further news on invitations, distribution of flyers and posters for the Campaign.

Deirdre McParland,
Publicity Officer