The Agnes Mary Gaffney Collection

Identity area

Reference code

IE 2135 P37

Title

Date(s)

c. 1887-c. 2002 (predominantly 1890-1899) (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

29 items

Context area

Name of creator

Gaffney, Agnes Mary

(1874-19??)

Biographical history

Agnes Mary Gaffney was born in Limerick in 1874 to Thomas Gaffney and Agnes Mary née Clune and was educated at Laurel Hill Convent. She was her parents’ only surviving daughter, but had several brothers, many of whom became prominent figures in Irish public life. Among these were James Gaffney (1866-1933), who became a Crown solicitor for county Limerick; Joseph Gaffney (1868-1897), a prominent figure in municipal politics in Limerick and High Sheriff of the city during the year 1896; and Thomas St John Gaffney (1864-1932), who emigrated to America and served as US Consul General at Dresden and Munich in Germany from 1905 to 1915. A strong pro-Irish nationalist, he openly supported Germany during the First World War, which cost him his consular post.

Agnes Mary Gaffney divided her time between Ireland and America as a socialite and featured prominently in the cultural life of both countries. She also took an interest in women’s rights issues through the influence of her sister-in-law Frances Humphreys Gaffney née Smith, who was elected president of the National Council of Women in America in 1899. Agnes settled permanently in Ireland following her marriage to George Robert Ryan in 1900. Her subsequent life history is unknown.

Repository

Special Collections and Archives Department

Archival history

Unknown.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated by the Gaffney family to the University of Limerick in c. 2002.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This collection comprises a scrapbook compiled by Agnes Mary Gaffney and a number of loose items found inserted inside it. It provides insights into the life and lifestyle of the members of a prominent and politically influential Roman Catholic family and their role not only in the formation of the Irish republic but on the wider arena of Irish-American republicanism and the campaign for women’s rights.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

All records have been retained.

Accruals

No accruals are expected.

System of arrangement

The documents have been divided into two series according to their form and thereunder arranged chronologically by date.

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
German

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Paper documents in good or fragile condition and photographs in good condition.

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

The papers of Agnes Mary Gaffney’s brother Thomas St. John Gaffney are held in the Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford University, California (collection no. XX227). A printable guide to the collection is available online at http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt8x0nf3v7.

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

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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).

Fonds P37 - The Agnes Mary Gaffney Collection