Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1917-1924 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
36 files and 15 items
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
John McCarthy was born in Cappamore, county Limerick in 1885 to William and Ellen McCarthy as the second of seven children. His parents owned a farm, a public house and a bakery and while his siblings all went to college, John remained at home to run the family businesses. When in his early teens, John began taking violin lessons from John Corbett, a highly respected but strict music teacher in Cappamore, who insisted that his pupils learnt to play from sheet music rather than by ear. Under Corbett’s tutelage, John developed into an accomplished and note-perfect player. At the turn of the century, Irish traditional sheet music was rare and, to increase his repertoire, John began to collect popular tunes in the East Limerick and North Tipperary area. Some of the notations he wrote down himself, others were given to him by friends and fellow collectors, his sister Eily McCarthy, his cousin Justin McCarthy and his friend Cornelius Collins among others. Music notations were commonly circulated among players and some of the sheets collected by John appear to date from as early as 1876. He used the music to play with other musicians in pubs, dances and local houses. Having married in 1916 Hannah Lally of Knockshambo, county Mayo, he reared a family of twelve children. He died on 5 February 1966.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated by the McCarthy family to the University of Limerick on 21 November 2011.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This collection contains invoices, receipts and some related correspondence from wholesalers, specialist providers and other commercial outlets mainly in Limerick city and county, but also in Dublin and England accrued by John McCarthy in his role as farmer, publican and baker. The documents date from the time of the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) and Irish Civil War (1922-1923) and reveal the way in which these conflicts interfered with commerce and trade and the availability of certain goods such as sugar and flour. It also provides insights into the commercial life of the country in its first years of independence, the cost of goods, the range of commercial outlets available and the rise of the large department stores.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
All records have been retained.
Accruals
No accruals are expected.
System of arrangement
The documents have been arranged into 51 files by business, and the files arranged alphabetically by name.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access to all items.
Conditions governing reproduction
Standard copyright regulations apply to all items. For photocopying or reproducing material, please consult with the staff.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Paper documents mostly in fragile and damaged condition.
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
For records of Irish traditional music collected by John McCarthy, see the John McCarthy Music Collection (P17).
Publication note
A detailed description of the three music books, their contents and their compiles is provided in Noel McCarthy’s book John McCarthy of Cappamore, Ireland. His Irish Traditional Music Manuscripts 1876-1912 Collected from the Cappamore/ Silvermines Area. A copy of the book is available in the Leonard Collection (OS/694) in the Special Collections and Archives Department.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
This description follows guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd edition (2000); Irish Guidelines for Archival Description (2009); National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names (1997); and EAP Guidance on Data Protection for Archive Services (2018).
Status
Level of detail
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Papers arranged and described by Anna-Maria Hajba in December 2024.