In the year of the centenary of the death of the Canon Sheehan of Doneraile, Monsignor James O’Brien is launching his book, which is a comprehensive collection of letters. The launch ties in with a number of events going on throughout the year in Doneraile and surrounding areas to mark the centenary of the Canon’s death.

The book launch for ‘The Collected Letters of Canon Sheehan of Doneraile 1883-1913’ will take place at 8pm on Tuesday, April 2 in Springfort Hall, Mallow, where the author will speak about the book, the letters included and how this is a primary source for anyone wishing to learn more about the Canon’s life. 

The collection contains a total of 293 letters and to compile it, Monsignor O’Brien drew on three major sources – the Sheehan papers in the archives of the Presentation Sisters, which featured letters from the Canon to his two cousins, who were members of the Doneraile Convent at the time; the Russell papers from the Jesuit archives and the Heuser papers, which were stored in the archives of the archdiocese of Philadelphia.

The collection includes letters written to Oliver Windele Holmes of the American Supreme Court, letters to Lord Castletown of the Castletown Press in the National Library of Ireland and letters written from the Mrs William O’Brien papers in the Boole Library in Cork.