Identity Statement for David James O’Donoghue
- Reference code: IE UCDA LA15
- Title: Papers of D.J. O’Donoghue (1866–1917)
- Dates: 1830–1916
- Level of description: Fonds
- Extent: 5 boxes
- Context
- Content and Structure
- Conditions of Access and Use
Biographical History
Born in Chelsea, London, of Cork parents, O’Donoghue received his only formal education at a local Catholic elementary school, being largely an autodidact through his reading at the British Museum. Closely involved with the Southwark Literary Club in the 1880s, he was a founder member of the Irish Literary Society, formed at Clapham in 1890, and took an interest in the development of the Society’s library. He moved to Dublin in 1896 to assist his brother in his publishing business and became heavily involved in the literary scene in the city. O’Donoghue was appointed first librarian of University College Dublin in 1909.
Scope and Content
Around 1500 letters (1888–1916) from political, literary and academic figures including John Dillon, Sir John Gilbert, Lady Gregory, Arthur Griffith, Douglas Hyde, James Joyce, J.P. Mahaffy, John Mitchel, George Russell and James Stephens, mainly relating to research for his published work, The poets of Ireland (1892), The geographical distribution of Irish ability (1906), William Carleton (1896) and The life and writings of J.C. Mangan (1897).
Seventy-five letters received by William Carleton, mainly relating to family affairs.
Drafts of books and articles by O’Donoghue and research notebooks relating to his literary work; manuscript sections of Fenians and Fenianism by John O’Leary.
- Access: Available by appointment to holders of a UCD Archives reader's ticket. Produced for consultation in original format. Original material will be retrieved on Fridays only. It will be made available for consultation in the UCD Special Collections reading room on Level One of the James Joyce Library.
- Language: English
- Finding aid: Descriptive catalogue