Collection of pamphlets relating to 19th century Irish social history, particularly the themes of education, health, famine, poverty, business and communications.

A collection of the surviving letters of Honora (Nano) Nagle (1718-1784), foundress of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM). Nano Nagle brought the Ursuline congregation to Ireland, before founding the Presentations. This collection represents a digital reunification of the surviving letters. A cousin of Edmund Burke, Nano was a member of a prominent Catholic landowning family in Munster. The material is collated from three separate archival collections: the Presentation Sisters Congregational Archives, Cork (PSCA); the archives of the Presentation Convent, George's Hill, Dublin; and the Presentation Archives, San Francisco, USA. Within the PSCA, there are letters originally belonging to the Archives of the Ursuline Convent, Blackrock, Cork; these letters were gifted to the Irish Presentation Sisters on the occasion of the tercentenary of the birth of Nano Nagle (2018). There is also one letter that was gifted by the Presentation Convent, New Windsor, USA, on the occasion of the tercentenary. The digital collection comprises of seventeen manuscript letters; the letters are from Nano Nagle to Eleanor Fitzsimons (later Sr. Angela Fitzsimons), an Irish religious novice in Paris, and from Nano Nagle to Teresa Mulally, educator of the poor, in Dublin.

The three volumes in this collection contain hand written entries recording the details of students registered with Our Lady of Mercy Training College Baggot Street and Carysfort training college from 1883 to 1922. The large double ledger volumes record student details, such as: home address, age, diocese and parish, position in school, and examination results. These registers will be of interest to those interested in genealogy and social history, as well as the history of education and teacher training in Ireland.

The alternative: or, How are the poor to be educated?

An essay on education and the state of Ireland / by An Irish Catholic [ie. James Warren Doyle] ; with explanatory remarks by W. J. FitzPatrick.

History and regulations. The school of physic in the university of Dublin and list of medical graduates.

The upas tree; or, an alternative for surrender or coercion.

A few suggestions addressed to the clergy upon the present state of the question respecting national education in Ireland / by Charles Richard Elrington.

Reasons for refusing to co-operate with the Board of National Education restated, and addressed to the clergy / by William Le Poer Trench.

Essay on the present state of manners and education among the lower class of the people of Ireland and the means of improving them.

[Circular letter from Bartholomew Woodlock, Rector, regarding the Annual Collection of the Catholic University of Ireland.]

Convent Schools. Correspondence / written by Rev. Thomas Quin, P.P., Rasharkin (Late of St. Peter's, Belfast)

Letter from Nano Nagle to Miss [Eleanor] Fitzsimons. Nagle reflects on herself and believes she has many faults. She compares the former novice mistress in the Ursuline monastery in Paris to the mustard seed in the Gospel, and expresses hope that the Cork foundation will succeed with her at the helm. She reports on sending boys to the West Indies on missionary work and mentions that the children are brought up to be fond of instructing. She also assures Miss Fitzsimons that she knows that she will take diligent care of the young ladies (novices) and requests her to convey her compliments to the superior, novice mistress, former novice mistress, and young ladies. Nagle tells Fitzsimons that she does not feel fatigue in relation to the school and requests the novice not to be uneasy about her physical health, though she does suffer a great deal in mind.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Teresa Mulally informing her of the contents of a letter from her sister, Mrs (Elizabeth) French, regarding her conversation with Miss Bellew in relation to the claim on the Coppinger bequest for funds to support a Dublin foundation. Nagle apologises for the brevity of the letter.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Teresa Mulally describing the manner of Miss Brady's departure from the convent in Cork. Nagle was concerned that the Ursulines would take Brady in as she has a fortune, so she requested Dr. Butler to intercede on her behalf; the Ursulines have agreed not to take as postulants any girls that Nano has received. Nagle tells Mulally that Miss Creagh, who appears to have delivered many letters between the two correspondents, will explain the circumstances around Brady's departure in more detail. Nagle also informs her that she has not heard anything further from Mrs. French regarding her conversations with Miss Bellew.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Miss [Eleanor] Fitzsimons apologising for her lack of contact due to time constraints. Nagle struggles to express her joy on hearing Mary Kavanagh has joined the group bound for Ireland. She communicates that [Fr. Patrick] Doran is eager for the prompt departure of Miss Fitzsimons and the other novices from Paris as he anticipates future opposition on the part of the Superior, "the French lady". Nagle declares her satisfaction with the progress and condition of the house which is being built for the novices. She promises to supply them with every necessity in her power, bearing in mind the limitations of being "in a country [where] we cant doe as we please".

Letter from Nano Nagle to Teresa Mulally following the latter's three week visit to Cork. Nagle regrets that her preoccupation with her nieces, who came down from Galway on their way to Cambrai, France, had prevented her from taking full advantage of Mulally's presence. To add to the dilemma, the girls' father, Mr. (Robert) French, had injured his leg in Spa, Southern Netherlands, so could not meet his daughters at Cambrai. She also refers to a prospective postulant who is involved in a lawsuit against a family member who has spent part of her dowry. Nagle reports that she has asked her sister, Mrs. (Elizabeth) French, to prevail upon her friends, the Bellews, to release some of a hoped-for bequest left by Mrs. Elizabeth Coppinger, Rossmore, Cork.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Teresa Mulally following the latter's second visit to Cork. Nagle expresses relief that Miss Bellew seemed so well disposed to Mulally's wishes. Nagle informs Mulally of her quest for model Constitutions, she describes in detail the Rule of the Third of St. Francis and the Rule of the Hospitaliers of the Order of St. Thomas de Villeneuve, and inquires as to which rule Mulally deems most suitable for the congregation.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Teresa Mulally indicating that she has set £7 aside to be sent to Dublin. Nagle chides Mulally for falling into dejection, “I dont approve of your disponding so much”, and writes that even if neither of them live to see their work prosper during their lifetimes, hopefully it will succeed after their deaths "and be of universale service to the kingdome". She also describes the reception of a very promising novice and assures Mulally of the community's most affectionate compliments. Whereas all previous letters to Mulally were addressed “Dear Madam”, this last extant letter, written just over a year before Nagle's death, opens with “My Dear's friend”.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Miss [Eleanor] Fitzsimons noting the writer's anxiety at not receiving letters from Fitzsimons or Dr. Moylan. Nagle comments that the proposed date of the novices’ arrival in Cork has not yet been fixed and discusses the problem of finding a professed religious to act as superior. A letter has been sent to Paris seeking a “categorical answer” as to whether the intended journey to Cork will go ahead. The author offers Miss Fitzsimons financial advice and recalls her own monetary woes, she notes that “money is at present so scarce, and such a run on the Bankers in this kingdome, that people cant get what is due to them”. Nagle shows her endearing concern for Mary Kavanagh, who is now teaching the poor children of Paris, and communicates her disappointment that the Ursulines will not come to Cork that winter.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Teresa Mulally apologising for not replying to her letter sooner and expressing regret that her precarious finances would not allow her undertake a foundation in St. Michan's Parish, Dublin. She hopes that Mulally lives long enough to see the Sisters of Charitable Instruction established in that city some day. Letter highlights importance of word of mouth as Miss Fitzsimons has updated Nagle on Mulally's health. Nagle reports that the lady recommended by Mulally has settled in happily, and offers to pay for Miss Corballis to visit Cork for respite. She informs Mulally that she has dismissed some of her lay teachers as they were neglecting the children and taught "only for bread". She communicates her aspirations for the nuns, “wan thing I am resolv’d to make a rule, among us, is that we never dine abroad, or visit or go ab[road] only to the chaple, the schools or business…I hope we will show the world, that nothing makes us go out only when charity oblige us”.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Miss [Eleanor] Fitzsimons expressing her pleasure at receiving another letter from her and hoping they will meet in person soon. Nagle mentions her delight that Fitzsimons will be professed in Cork, and that the former novice mistress of the Ursuline monastery in Paris has consented to lead the new foundation in Ireland. She notes that [Francis] Moylan will do everything in his power to assist with this foundation. Nano is troubled to hear of her cousin's (Margaret Nagle) "histirick" or propensity to develop violent fits. The issue is causing some disagreement within the Ursuline community, who are under the impression that the disorder is contagious.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Miss [Eleanor] Fitzsimons in which she speculates about her investments in Paris and expresses her disappointment at the low interest paid. Nagle complains that Mr. Waters, banker, would not tell her anything about the East India Company. She appears fretful and vexed; fretful that the second effort at making an Ursuline foundation in Cork would fail again, and vexed that the interest paid by the East India Company had fallen to one half of its former value. Nagle asserts that it was the general opinion that few foreigners would ever again put their money in the French funds. She requests Miss Fitzsimons to present her compliments to her former mistress, communicates her affection for her correspondent, and mentions the young ladies and Miss Smith.

Letter from Nano Nagle to Teresa Mulally indicating that, at the behest of Dr. Moylan, she had taken in three women to assist in her education ministry the previous Christmas. She reveals that two of the women will establish a foundation in County Kerry and encloses a copy of their rule, "its called the sisters of the charitable instruction of the sacred heart of Jesus...I could wish that we may unite in this society, and am confident the great God will direct you to what is most for his glory".