Liam de Róiste Papers Descriptive List Ref. U271

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the 1930s and 1940s, with nothing ostensibly relating to De Róiste’s support for radical nationalism and the political party Ailtirí na hAiséirghe. It will be noted that JJ Walsh and Ernest Blythe and a number of other politicians and Irish language activists, including members of some republican Sinn Féin and IRA factions, were also supporters. (See also: Section L documenting De Róiste’s involvement with the Irish Christian Front). Section K: Cumann na nGaedheal 1925-1929. This section mainly documents De Róiste’s unsuccessful campaigns for the Seanad in 1925, and the Dáil in 1927, as a Cumann na nGaedheal party candidate. An election leaflet from 1927 encouraged the public to ‘VOTE FOR the Party which saved Ireland from Anarchy five years ago....done solid work for Ireland...guarantee Peace, Prosperity, and Good Government...’ . The leaflet details of the governing party’s achievements while in government and includes photographs of the candidates in Cork, de Róiste, Barry M. Egan, Michael Egan, and JJ Walsh (U271/K/2/D/4). Also includes organisational material relating to the party (U271/K/2/A and B). Section L: Irish Christian Front 1936-1937. This section of c30 items provides a valuable insight into the formation of the ICF, and de Róiste’s contribution to it, such as, correspondence with ICF and church officials and other interested individuals (U271/L/1), drafts of his suggestions for the aims and organisation of the ICF (U271/L/2) and the text of his speech at a public rally held in Cork in Sep 1936 (U271/L/3). De Róiste and others were not in favour with the ICF becoming a political party and regarded it as a public crusade of support against the ‘Red terror’ and ‘Atheistic’ or ‘anti-Christian’ forces (U271/L/3/3). (Additional information about de Róiste’s support for Catholic activism and his political and social thinking in the 1930s and 1940s may be found in some of the essays and articles in Section O) Section M: Muintir na Tíre 1937-1953. De Róiste was president of the Cork guild of Muintir na Tíre in c1939. This section includes texts of lectures by de Róiste (U271/M/3) and extensive correspondence with Alfred O’Reilly and other regarding aims, principles, and organisation (U271/M/4) and also a set of leaflets and publications (U271/M/5 and 6) Section N: Bureau of Military History 1947-1957. De Róiste engaged extensively with the Bureau and provided a number of accounts on the Irish Volunteers Cork corps (U271/N/3 and 3a). Also found are a set of booklets issued by the Bureau (U271/N/1) and correspondence with Florence O’Donoghue and other officials of the Bureau, and others such as long-time friend and associate Diarmaid L. Fawsitt. (U271/N/2). Section O: Literary Papers, Essays, Research Notes and Lecture/Speech Texts 1898-1945. The literary material includes scripts by de Róiste, mainly from the early 1900s, of plays such as the ‘Wooing of Time’, ‘The Drunkard’, ‘Percy Connors’, ‘The Road to Hell’ and others (U271/O/1/A). It also includes a set of short stories from the same period and up to 1922 such as ‘Ceann Dubh Dílis’/ Dear Dark Head, 'A Study of a young Irishman's mind which may illuminate Irish History for the twenty years prior to 1916'. (U271/O/1/B) The section also

Liam de Róiste Descriptive List. © Cork City and County Archives Service 2026

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