New York Irish History Roundtable Records
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Abstract
The New York Irish History Roundtable, founded in 1984, encourages research on the history of the Irish in New York, New York, and provides a forum for professional and amateur historians and genealogists sharing an interest in this topic. The Roundtable sponsors lectures, walking tours, graduate and undergraduate scholarships and awards, exhibitions, genealogy workshops, and publishes books, a bi-annual newsletter, and an annual journal, New York Irish History. The collection documents all activities of the Roundtable from 1984 to 2011 and includes files of former officers and publications, both of the organization and on topics of interest to the officers and members. The collection consists of mainly paper material, with some digital and audiovisual material. Material in the collection includes correspondence, paper and digital drafts and published versions of Roundtable publications, photographs of events, agendas and minutes documenting meetings of the Board of Directors and Roundtable committees, and audiovisual material documenting special projects of the Roundtable.
Historical Note
Since 1984 the New York Irish History Roundtable has encouraged research and provided a forum for historians and genealogists sharing an interest in the history of the Irish in New York, New York. Past projects conducted by the Roundtable include an attempt to create an index for the newspaper Irish Echo, an oral history of people who lived in Irish neighborhoods in New York City, and the restoration of the gravestone of Matilda Tone. Past events and museum exhibits include a dinner commemorating the Irish famine in the 19th century and its effects on New York City, an exhibit on traditional Irish music and dance in New York City, walking tours of New York City cemeteries, and genealogy workshops. The Roundtable and its members contributed to the publication of a bibliography of theses and dissertations titled The Irish Experience in New York City compiled by Ann M. Shea and Marion Casey, and an anthology titled The New York Irish edited by Ronald H. Bayor and Timothy J. Meagher, both on the history of the Irish in New York City. In addition to these publications, the Roundtable publishes an annual journal, New York Irish History, and their bi-annual newsletter.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following series. Material in each series is physically arranged in the order in which it was received from the donor. The container list for each series is arranged in alphabetical order by organization name, title of work, topic, or format.
Series I. Ann M. Shea Files
Series II. Marion Casey Files
Series III. Clare Curtin Files
Series IV. Angela Carter Files
Scope and Contents
The New York Irish History Roundtable Records document the activities of the Roundtable from 1984 to 2011 and include files of former officers. The collection consists of mainly paper material, with some digital and audiovisual material, and dates from 1867 to 2011, with the bulk of the material dating between 1987 and 2003. Material in the collection includes correspondence between officers and members, Roundtable publications, membership files, financial documents, photographs and programs of events, agendas and minutes documenting meetings of the Board of Directors and Roundtable committees, books on historical topics of interest to Roundtable officers, and audiovisual material documenting Roundtable projects. The collection documents the Roundtable's publications, including its bi-annual newsletter and annual journal, New York Irish History. Other publications in the collection include an anthology, The New York Irish, edited by Ronald H. Bayor and Timothy J. Meagher, and a bibliography of theses and dissertations, The Irish Experience in New York City, compiled by Ann M. Shea and Marion Casey. Material related to the Roundtable's publications includes drafts and final versions in paper and digital formats, correspondence regarding these publications, and audio recordings of presentations of chapters from The New York Irish at the 1992 meeting of the Organization of American Historians. Roundtable events and projects documented in the collection include the 10th anniversary of the Roundtable, the restoration of the gravestone of Matilda Tone in 1994 in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, and an oral history project conducted by Roundtable members. There is a large amount of material on the exhibit, Gaelic Gotham, held at the Museum of the City of New York in 1996. This material consists of paper and born-digital material and includes correspondence regarding the planning of the exhibit by the Roundtable and the Museum, clippings and correspondence regarding the final exhibit, the public's reaction to it, and the Roundtable's 1997 report on the exhibit titled Gaelic Gotham Report. There is duplication throughout the collection, with each series documenting the same events and topics.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by the New York Irish History Roundtable were transferred to New York University in 2004 by Frank Naughton. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from the Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives. Please contact special.collections@nyu.edu or 212-998-2596.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; New York Irish History Roundtable Records; AIA 018; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
In 2004, the New York Irish History Roundtable sent a gift of 10 cubic feet. Additional donations were received in 2009 and 2018. The accession numbers associated with this collection are 1997.049, 2012.083, 2012.088, and 2018.110.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
An access terminal for born-digital materials in the collection is available by appointment for reading room viewing and listening only. Researchers may view an item's original container and/or carrier, but the physical carriers themselves are not available for use because of preservation concerns.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact special.collections@nyu.edu or 212-998-2596 with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Appraisal
Four floppy disks were deaccessioned after forensic imaging and analysis determined items contained no usable data.
One floppy disk was discarded due to mold growth, however before being removed, this disk was forensically imaged and analyzed.
Duplicates of the Roundtable's publications, off-air recordings of radio shows, and publications not related to the Roundtable or Irish history were deaccessioned.
Legal materials related to Marion Casey's dispute with the Museum of the City of New York with regards to Gaelic Gotham were removed from the collection since these items are protected by attorney-client privilege.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Series were created according to the arrangement in which the collection was received and material was arranged together intellectually. Paper material for each series was brought together physically, with oversized paper materials, audiovisual material, and physical digital media housed together as appropriate. Separation sheets were created to sustain the intellectual relationship between items.
Paper material was housed in archival folders and boxes. Physical digital media and audiovisual material were housed in archival boxes. Preservation photocopies were created for material originally printed on thermal fax paper.
Floppy disks and optical media forensically imaged, analyzed, and arranged in Forensic Toolkit.
New York University Libraries follows professional standards and best practices when imaging, ingesting, and processing born-digital material in order to maintain the integrity of the content.
In Fall 2021, materials related to Gaelic Gotham and other Museum of the City of New York exhibits were removed from the Glucksman Ireland House Records (AIA 038) and placed into Series II: Marion Casey Files, since these items are directly related to her involvement with the museum.
In December 2025, digital objects for processed electronic records were created to conform to current practices. New York University Libraries follow professional standards and best practices when imaging, ingesting, and processing born-digital material in order to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the content. Fifteen floppy disks and four optical discs were forensically imaged, analyzed, and arranged using Forensic Toolkit.
Revisions to this Guide
Repository
Series I. Ann M. Shea Files, 1867-2011, inclusive; 1987-2011, bulk
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Scope and Contents
This series contains the files of Ann M. "Nancy" Shea and documents her work as Vice-President for Local History and Treasurer. The series spans 1867 to 2011, with the bulk of the material dating between 1987 and 2011, and includes correspondence regarding membership renewals and surveys, membership databases, Roundtable events and projects, and financial documents. The financial documents include bank statements, checks, expense statements, receipts, invoices, tax documents, and ledgers. This series also includes Shea's library of paper and digital versions of Roundtable publications, genealogy books, and books on the Irish in New York City. Special events and projects documented in this series include a project to create an index of the newspaper the Irish Echo and the compilation of the Gaelic Gotham Report.
Administrative files, 1988-2003, inclusive
Annual meeting files, 1996-1998, inclusive
Awards and scholarship files, 1996-2010, inclusive
Books, 1867-2008, inclusive
Clippings, 1987-2009, inclusive
Contracts, 1995-1997, inclusive
Correspondence -- General, 1995-2010, inclusive
Correspondence -- Grant applications, 1997-1998, inclusive
Election files, 1994-2008, inclusive
Events -- Genealogy workshops, 1996-2006, inclusive
Events -- General, 1995-2010, inclusive
Events -- New York and the Irish Famine, 1994-1995, inclusive
Financial documents, 1989-2007, inclusive
Gaelic Gotham Report, 1995-1997, inclusive
Paper Materials
Digital Materials
Digital materials
The Irish Experience in New York City files, 1994-2009, inclusive
Meeting agendas and minutes, 1991-2011, inclusive
Membership Files, 1991-2001, inclusive
Paper Materials
Digital Materials
Digital materials
The New York Irish, 1996
New York Irish History, 1994-2007, inclusive
Paper Materials
Digital Materials
Digital materials
New York Irish History Roundtable blog, 2008
New York Irish History Roundtable Newsletter, 1988-2011, inclusive
New York Irish History Roundtable website, 1996-2006, inclusive
Officer files, 1995-2001, inclusive
Press contacts, 1998-1999, inclusive
Projects -- Commemoration of the United Irish Rebellion of 1798, 1996-1997, inclusive
Projects -- Emigrant Savings Bank, 1996-2003, inclusive
Projects -- Irish Echo indexing, 1989-1997, inclusive
Projects -- Oral history, 1988
Projects -- Small projects files, 1995-2005, inclusive
Publications Committee, 1993-1994, inclusive
Series II. Marion Casey Files, 1984-2015, inclusive
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Extent
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Scope and Contents
This series contains the files of Marion Casey and documents her work as President of the Roundtable and as a member of the Board of Directors, as well as her continued membership in the Roundtable. The series also documents Casey's time working as a curator for the Museum of the City of New York and her involvement creating Gaelic Gotham: A History of the Irish in New York. The series dates between 1984 and 2015. Material in this series includes correspondence, drafts and published versions of Roundtable publications, photographs and other material documenting Roundtable events, and paper and audiovisual material on Roundtable projects. Projects documented in this series include the compilation of The Irish Experience in New York City by Casey and Ann M. Shea, an oral history project undertaken by the Roundtable, the 10th Anniversary of the Roundtable, and the restoration of Matilda Tone's gravestone in Green-Wood Cemetery. The oral history project is documented in paper correspondence, notes, and secondary sources on conducting oral histories, as well as audio and video recordings of oral history interviews of people who lived in Irish neighborhoods in New York City. This series also contains correspondence, notes, and audio and video recordings of events at the Keeping the Tradition Alive: A History of Irish Music and Dance in New York City exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York in 1991. Correspondence, grant proposals, VHS tapes, audiocassette tapes, floppy disks, exhibit scripts, object lists, budgets, newspaper clippings, and promotional materials related to the Museum of the City of New York's exhibit Gaelic Gotham: A History of the Irish in New York, are also housed within this collection.
Casey's role in the publication of The New York Irish is documented in this series through drafts and proofs of articles included in the book, paper and born-digital notes, minutes and notes from meetings about the project, correspondence, and event ephemera. The correspondence includes plans for events celebrating the publication of the book, as well as correspondence with contributors to and the publishers of the book. Also included are audio recordings of presentations by contributors to the book from the Organization of American Historians conference in 1992. Files labeled "Mixed documents" include correspondence, notes, clippings, agenda and minutes on various topics including Roundtable publications, events, and research interest of Roundtable officers and members. Publications files include correspondence, drafts, published versions of New York Irish History, the Roundtable's newsletter, promotional ephemera, and correspondence regarding printing and graphic design. Membership files include correspondence with and about members and dues, renewal forms, and surveys conducted of members.
Administrative files, 1987-1993, inclusive
Clippings and press releases, 1987-1994, inclusive
Correspondence -- Funding sources, 1987-1991, inclusive
Correspondence -- General, 1985-2015, inclusive
Correspondence -- Legal, 1988-1991, inclusive
Election files, 1997-1998, inclusive
Events -- Genealogy workshops, 1988-1992, inclusive
Events -- New York and the Irish Famine, 1994-1995, inclusive
Financial documents, 1984-1993, inclusive
Gaelic Gotham and other Museum of the City of New York exhibition materials, 1990-1997, inclusive
Paper Materials
Audio Materials
Video Materials
Graphic Materials
Digital Materials
Digital materials
Internet Committee, 1996-1998, inclusive
The Irish Experience in New York City, 1990-1996, inclusive
Keeping the Tradition Alive: A History of Irish Music and Dance in New York City, 1990-1991, inclusive
Meeting minutes, 1984-2000, inclusive
Membership files, 1984-2003, inclusive
Mixed documents, 1987-2003, inclusive
The New York Irish, 1989-1997, inclusive
Paper Materials
Audio Materials
Digital Materials
Digital materials
New York Irish History, 1988-2004, inclusive
New York Irish History Roundtable Newsletter, 1987-2000, inclusive
New York Irish History Roundtable website, 1996-1999, inclusive
Photographs, 1988-1996, inclusive
Projects -- Commemoration of the United Irish Rebellion of 1798, 1995-1997, inclusive
Projects -- Irish Echo indexing, 1988-1993, inclusive
Projects -- Oral history, 1986-1991, inclusive
Publications, 1985-2000, inclusive
Scholarship files, 1990-1993, inclusive
Series III. Clare Curtin Files, 1989-2007, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series contains the files of Clare Curtin and documents her work as Secretary of the Roundtable. The series dates between 1989 and 2007 and includes membership materials, correspondence between officers, and drafts and published versions of Roundtable newsletters and New York Irish History. The membership material consists of renewal forms, lists, and surveys conducted in 1991 and 1995.
Clippings, 1996
Correspondence, 1994-1997, inclusive
Election files, 1994
Mailing lists, 1994-1997, inclusive
Meeting minutes, 1994-1997, inclusive
Membership files, 1991-1997, inclusive
New York Irish History, 1989-1991, inclusive
New York Irish History Roundtable Newsletter, 1999-2007, inclusive
Series IV. Angela Carter Files, 1986-2000, inclusive
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Extent
Scope and Contents
This series contains the files of Angela Carter and documents her work as Corresponding Secretary, Newsletter Editor, and Recording Secretary. The series dates from 1986 to 2000 and documents Carter's work on The New York Irish and the Gaelic Gotham Report. Materials include correspondence and clippings on both publications, paper drafts of The New York Irish, paper and born-digital drafts of the Gaelic Gotham Report, and statements for the bank account connected to The New York Irish.