The collection comprises primarily letters and copies of letters by members of the Monsell family or individuals associated with them. Of particular note is a letter book kept by the shipping merchant William Monsell (P2/1/1), which contains copies of some 1,200 items of mainly business correspondence, giving a unique insight into Limerick as a maritime mercantile city in the early eighteenth century. Of equal interest is the fragment of a diary (P2/1/12) kept by his grandson, the Reverend Samuel Monsell (1743-1818), Precentor of Ardfert from 1791 to 1811, which provides an extraordinary account of the private life and innermost thoughts of a Church of Ireland clergyman struggling to stay on the path of virtue.

The collection comprises primarily correspondence between Frank Aiken, IRA Chief of Staff; Mr McAuliffe Acting Officer Commanding Limerick Brigade IRA; and Maurice Twomey Inspecting Officer. They are almost solely concerned with the reorganisation of the IRA command structure in Limerick, Clare and Kerry owing to the shortage of men and equipment during and following the Civil War.

The material contains primarily correspondence, petitions and resolutions created and generated by Thomas Spring Rice during his political career.

This collection comprises 15 Betamax video tapes containing recordings made by local historian John Hassett between 1983 and 1992 in County Tipperary. The interviews feature men who played hurling in the early 20th century and individuals active in the Irish Volunteer movement and the Irish War of Independence. Hassett’s work aimed to preserve firsthand accounts of Ireland’s revolutionary period and its cultural traditions, capturing personal narratives, memories of local events and reflections on national struggles. The recordings provide unique insights into community life, political activism and sporting heritage, offering an invaluable resource for researchers of Irish history and oral tradition. They stand as a vital monument to Ireland’s revolutionary generation and to Hassett’s own tireless efforts to keep their voices alive.

This small collection contains a valuation book of the estate of Captain Charles James Coote in counties Limerick and Cork and a box of associated maps.