O’Rahilly Correspondence MS 95

Posted on by

Special Collections are pleased to announce that a new combined collection, O’Rahilly Correspondence MS 95, is now available for consultation.

O’Rahilly Correspondence consists of a series of correspondence between the renowned Celtic Scholar T.F O’Rahilly (1883-1953) and M. O’Catháin, A. Martin Freeman, Paul Grosjean, James Hogan, George Russell, and D.J O’Sullivan. There are also miscellaneous typescripts of translations with handwritten annotations.

T.F O’Rahilly courtesy of School of Celtic Studies Dublin

These collections were previously held at MS 1/208, MS 1/236 and MS 1/237 and have been combined to facilitate easier research and accessibility.

Special Collections also hold an O’Rahilly Manuscript Collection (MS 11) and an O’Rahilly Book Collection.

MS 11 T.F O’Rahilly Manuscripts, contains a selection of Irish manuscripts and printed books. The books are annotated by O’Rahilly and include titles on Irish literature, Irish dialect and grammar dating from c 1849-1937. Authors featured include Brian Merriman, Joseph Henry Lloyd, Peter O’Leary, John O’Tuomy, Pierce Fitzgerald and John Clarach MacDonald.

Also included is an annotated draft of the 1937 Constitution of Ireland, with a manuscript inscription from Eamon DeValera thanking O’Rahilly for his assistance on it.

MS 11/23 Eire Constitution

The O’Rahilly Book Collection (prefix O’Rahilly/ in the Library catalogue) contains 507 volumes, many authored or annotated by T.F O’Rahilly. The focus of this collection is Irish language and culture, and texts which study Irish language, dialect, and grammar. There are also books devoted to Irish history, poetry, song, and folklore.  Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton also feature in the collection. Authors include T. F. O’Rahilly, James Hardiman, Rev. John Healy, Dr Douglas Hyde, Tomás Ó Máille, Philip Bocht O Huigginn and Duncan MacIntyre. 

The O’Rahilly Correspondence can be consulted by appointment at Special Collections: Visiting Special Collections and Archives

A full listing of the content of the O’Rahilly Correspondence (MS 95) can be found at MS95 T.F O’Rahilly Correspondence (qub.ac.uk)

A full listing of the content of the O’Rahilly Manuscripts (MS 11) can be found at MS 11 T. F. O’Rahilly Manuscripts (qub.ac.uk)

Information on the O’Rahilly Book Collection can be found at Book Collections | Information Services | Queen’s University Belfast (qub.ac.uk)

*Further information on T.F O’Rahilly can be found in the Dictionary of Irish Biography O’Rahilly, Thomas Francis (‘T. F.’) | Dictionary of Irish Biography (dib.ie)