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From the Archives
History Hub presents historical documents from the archives with analysis from historians.
Our From the Archives section provides people with an opportunity to get up close to documents, some notable, some overlooked, from the archives at University College Dublin.
Recent Documents
UCD School of History CPD Workshop for archivists – Implementing Trauma-Informed Practice in Archives
How best then can archivists deal with the affect that archives may have on individuals accessing potentially distressing information in the research room? And how do archivists themselves deal with graphic or confronting content when working on archival collections before they are made available to the public? These are questions which have been raised internationally in recent years, mainly due to the uncovering of scandals involving organised religion and/or state institutionalisation of vulnerable communities.
Afterlives – Grannies, Guns, and Archives: Tracing revolutionary and post revolutionary women’s lives
In June 2023 Professor Caitríona Beaumont (LSBU / UCD) joined UCD historians Dr Mary McAuliffe and Dr Fionnuala Walsh to record a podcast on a new project: AFTERLIVES.
The aim of the project is to uncover the afterlives and trace the life stories of lesser known activist women. As Beaumont explains, the inspiration for the project came from a surprising discovery.
Life Histories and Social Change Archive
Life Histories and Social Change is a large collection of qualitative life story interviews with three cohorts of Irish citizens: those born between 1) 1916-1934; 2) 1945-1954; and 3) 1965-1974. Jane Gray, Seán Ó Riain, and Aileen O’Carroll developed the project, funded by the Irish Research Council, and researchers from NUI Maynooth conducted a total of 113 life history interviews between 2006 and 2008.
Irish Women at Work Archive
The UCC Women at Work Archive holds a wealth of information for anyone looking to research Irish history with regards to the lives of women and their working careers in a post-independent Ireland.
Autograph book containing signatures of those involved in the republican movement, 1916-1918
As part of our series: From the Archives: Public History, Dearbhla Fay (MA in Public History, 2018) examines an autograph book purchased by the National Library of Ireland in 2016 at a Whytes’ auction. The book contains the autographs of over 150 leading republicans during the period after the 1916 Rising and before the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922. Although the original owner of the book is not known, its contents show that it was someone close to leading figures of the Irish Revolution including Thomas Ashe, Michael Collins, Countess Markievicz and Éamon de Valera.
A Magdalen Asylum’s plea to Francis Sheehy-Skeffington
As part of our series: From the Archives: Public History, Abigail Smith (MA in Public History, 2018) examines a letter received by Francis Sheehy-Skeffington from Sister Mary Joseph Xavier, Superioress of the Magdalen Asylum on Forster Street in Galway. The letter was a request for financial support for the asylum and although we do not know if Sheehy-Skeffington ever replied to Sister Mary, or if he provided any financial support, this letter does provide some insight into the asylum, its operations, and fundraising mechanics.
Extracts from the Letters of the 3rd Earl of Leitrim
As part of our series: From the Archives: Public History, Brian Thomas (MA in Public History, 2018) examines letters penned between Lord Leitrim and his barrister George B. West Esq. on legal matters pertaining to family tragedy, tenant riots, and his growing fears of a political conspiracy to assassinate him. The selected letters cover a large swathe of Lord Leitrim’s life and personal affairs and give insight into the man whose violent death would eventually be celebrated.
Vere Foster’s Irish Female Emigration Fund
As part of our series: From the Archives: Public History, Hayley Kilgallon (MA in Public History, 2018) examines a report written by Vere Henry Louis Foster (1819-1900) regarding the assisted emigration fund he founded and managed. The report, published in October 1884, highlights the hardship in Ireland at the time and the desperation among people to emigrate. It also gives an insight into how Foster operated his scheme.
Mother’s advice on condoms (Irish Press 1990)
In this month’s article for the ‘From the Archive’ series, MA in Public History graduate Jen Falgout examines a 1990 letter to The Irish Press newspaper from Mrs. P. O’Reilly, a veteran contraceptive rights campaigner. In her letter O’Reilly makes an impassioned intervention in support of the Irish Family Planning Association and loosening restrictions on condom sales.
Latest From the Archives
UCD School of History CPD Workshop for archivists – Implementing Trauma-Informed Practice in Archives
How best then can archivists deal with the affect that archives may have on individuals accessing potentially distressing information in the research room? And how do archivists themselves deal with graphic or confronting content when working on archival collections before they are made available to the public? These are questions which have been raised internationally in recent years, mainly due to the uncovering of scandals involving organised religion and/or state institutionalisation of vulnerable communities.
Afterlives – Grannies, Guns, and Archives: Tracing revolutionary and post revolutionary women’s lives
In June 2023 Professor Caitríona Beaumont (LSBU / UCD) joined UCD historians Dr Mary McAuliffe and Dr Fionnuala Walsh to record a podcast on a new project: AFTERLIVES.
The aim of the project is to uncover the afterlives and trace the life stories of lesser known activist women. As Beaumont explains, the inspiration for the project came from a surprising discovery.
Life Histories and Social Change Archive
Life Histories and Social Change is a large collection of qualitative life story interviews with three cohorts of Irish citizens: those born between 1) 1916-1934; 2) 1945-1954; and 3) 1965-1974. Jane Gray, Seán Ó Riain, and Aileen O’Carroll developed the project, funded by the Irish Research Council, and researchers from NUI Maynooth conducted a total of 113 life history interviews between 2006 and 2008.
