Archives of Irish America Irish Republicanism Collection
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Abstract
The collection documents Irish American support of civil rights and Republican activities in Northern Ireland, including anti-British demonstrations in the United States and activities in support of Irish Republicans subject to deportation proceedings in the United States. Materials relating to Hunger Strikes and political prisoners in Ireland and the United States are also included.
Historical Note
The materials in this collection were collected and assembled by the staff of the Archives of Irish America and various donors in an attempt to document the variety of materials produced by and for the Irish American community in support of and reaction to Republican activities in the United States, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into 2 series, both arranged chronologically. I. Subject Files, 1937-1995; II. Publications, 1972-1982.
Scope and Contents
The collection contains printed material from various Irish American organizations, including fliers, announcements, newsletters, brochures, newspaper clippings, reports, and pamphlets, relating to Irish American support of civil rights and Republican activities in Northern Ireland. Files on anti-British demonstrations in the United States and activities in support of Irish Republicans subject to deportation proceedings in the United States are found in the collection. Documentation, including a memorial publication, on the 1981 Hunger Strikes can also be found in the collection.
Of interest are files containing letters from Irish prisoners as well as fliers and pamphlets about specific individuals and activities in support of Republican activists. Two organizations of note are the American Irish Unity Committee and the Irish American Unity Conference. Two periodicals are included in the collection: Irish Republican News Service and Common Appeal. The latter consists of photocopies of newspaper stories and is described as "a periodical publication designed to inform the friends of Ireland as fully and expeditiously as possible of Irish news and matters" and goes on to note that the editorial viewpoint should be clear from the choice of articles selected for inclusion. The Irish Republican News Service files are photocopies and/or faxes of originals. Several posters depicting Hunger Strikers are found with other oversize material.
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Conditions Governing Access
Open for research without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Because of the assembled nature of this collection, copyright status varies across the collection. Copyright is assumed to be held by the original creator of individual items in the collection; these items are expected to pass in to the public domain 120 years after their creation. The Tamiment Library is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from this collection.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date; Irish Republicanism Collection; AIA 022; box number; folder number;
Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012, New York University Libraries.
Location of Materials
Custodial History Note
The materials in this collection were collected and assembled by the staff of the Archives of Irish America and various donors. Common Appeal and Irish Republican Information Service materials were acquired with the Cormac O'Malley Papers collection (AIA 019). Other items came from the George Harrison Papers (AIA 009) and the Vertical File collection (AIA 013).
In March 2025, Marion Casey donated an accretion of a program for a reception for Éamon De Valera and a scrapbook, as well as a folder of cartoons by Brian Mor Ó Bagoighill that was separated from the Irish Echo Photographs (AIA 045). The accession number associated with this transfer is 2025.033.
Accruals Note
Further accruals are expected.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Decisions regarding arrangement, description, and physical interventions for this collection prior to 2020 are unknown. In October 2020, additional material from Doirse Dochais (Doors of Hope) was added to the collection after transfer from the George Harrison Papers (AIA.009). In October 2024, box 2 was rehoused into manuscript boxes. Materials from this box are now found in boxes 2 and 6. In April 2025 an accretion was rehoused in archival boxes and folders, and incorporated into the collection's existing arrangement.
