The material consists of correspondence, speeches, press cuttings, photographs and taped interviews relating to Frances Condell’s political career; typescripts and drafts of poems, articles, short stories and stories for children; genealogical material and photographs relating to the Eades family; and assorted recordings. Collection highlights include letters signed by President John F. Kennedy, Senator Edward Kennedy and Mrs Lyndon B. Johnson, and correspondence with the American poet Beverley Githens Dresbach (1903-1971).

This collection offers insights into Lorna Reynold’s academic career, her work as a poet and translator of poetry and her personal life. Material relating to her academic career is perfunctory, consisting in the main of academic certificates, correspondence of mainly administrative nature and extensive research notes primarily on English literature for teaching, talks and academic papers. Material relating to her literary career includes manuscript and typescript drafts of her poems and short stories, many of which were published in newspapers and other publications, typescript drafts of a play, Swear Not by the Moon, and book reviews.

Undoubtedly the most interesting part of this collection is to be found among the records of Lorna Reynolds’ personal life, which incorporate some 800 items of correspondence with her lover Kate O’Brien. Uniquely, both sides of this correspondence survive from November 1946 to July 1949, after which only Kate O’Brien’s side remains. The letters reveal the intense nature of the relationship between two highly creative, strong-minded and extremely intelligent women and the many clashes and fallings-out their respective personalities inevitably generated. While Kate seemed to thrive on and be invigorated by this intensity, for Lorna, weighted down by her academic duties and a difficult domestic situation, it proved too much and her feelings for Kate receded, but their friendship continued until Kate’s death. Another interesting series of letters are those from Darina Silone née Laracy to Lorna Reynolds, which reveal on the one hand Darina’s marital unhappiness and its consequences, and on the other her devotion to her husband Ignazio Silone and her determination to preserve his legacy.

The Lorna Reynolds collection reveals the remarkable personality, strength of character and outspokenness of its creator, and her unyielding insistence on the rights of women to enjoy the same personal freedom and independence as men. On a broader scale, the collection builds an exceptional picture of the Irish academic, cultural and artistic circles in the twentieth century, circles in which Lorna Reynolds moved and played a seminal role.

This collection contains some of Seán Lysaght's published works (including essays, poetry and book reviews) and correspondence with publishing companies, journals and newspapers illustrating his early development and maturing as a poet.