These papers include information on the following areas:

Early life of Mary MacSwiney, for example:

P48a/5 Outdoor photograph of the MacSwiney family at Mile House, Cork, c1915.

P48a/7 File of correspondence with Sister M Elizabetts, Ursuline convent, Blackrock, Cork, and with the Cork branch of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland, relating to Mary MacSwiney's loss of her teaching post at St Angela's.

Political career Cumann na mBan, 1913 to 1936:

4 files of correspondence on a wide variety of issues such as meetings of the Executive, elections of office bearers, lectures and support for the Volunteer movement. The correspondents include the Catholic Women's Suffrage Society of England and the Cork Corps of the Irish Volunteers.

P48a/11 Correspondence relating to members who had resigned from the organisation and to meetings of Mná na Poblachta. Includes a draft constitution of the latter, 25 September to 6 December 1936.

P48a/17 a detailed report of the General Convention, 1933, held in Dublin.

P48a/18/iv 5 printed pamphlets published by Cumann na mBan relating to organisational matters and the constitution of the organisation and some of its branches.

P48a/20 Manifesto from 'Cumann na mBan', 1914.

P48a/23 'Cumann na gCailini', 1920s.

P48a/24 newspaper cuttings and extracts relating to the activities of Cumann na mBan, 1914 to 936, 12 items.

St Ita's School, 1916 to 1941:

P48a/27 draft annual report by Mary MacSwiney outlining the work accomplished in the first year of operation of the school, 1917.

P48a/34 'Education in Ireland'. A circular appeal from the St Ita's Committee, c1924.

Sinn Féin, 1917 to 1943, Correspondence:

P48a/37 includes a copy of a letter from Mary MacSwiney 'to every member of the delegation who signed the treaty', castigating then and asking them to review their actions and 'not to be false to the Republic now', 8 December 1921.

P48a/43 includes letters from Mary MasSwiney to e Donnelly and E. de Valera concerning the possibilities of a 'common platform for the Republicans' which could combine Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, and a report on the joint conference of Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil delegates in Kerry on 21 Ape 1927.

P48a/50 includes letter from Mary MacSwiney to Bean C. Brugha outlining the reasons for her resignation from Sinn Fein, and other correspondence relating to the controversy within Sinn Fein on the question of members accepting government jobs, 31 January to 23 October 1934.

P48a/52 includes correspondence on the Sinn Fein constitution and the question of allegiance to Dáil Éireann. Also a letter from Mary MacSwiney to P Mac Aindriu, outlining her republican activities since leaving Sinn Fein, and her 'present position'. (14 March 1936).

P48a/70 verbatim report of the proceedings of the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, 16 October 1923.

P48a/73 draft and copy of a report from Mary MacSwiney to a general meeting of the Cork Cumainn of Sinn Féin concerning proceedings of the party Ard Fheis, December 1925.

P48a/86 address from Mary MacSwiney 'To the electors, Cork Borough Constituency', 1927.

Death of Terence MacSwiney:

P48a/110 draft of a letter by Mary MacSwiney to Lloyd George, British Prime Minister, reminding him of his responsibility in the event of her brother's death and emphasising that 'Ireland's women stand side by side with Ireland's men in the demand for absolute independence', October 1920.

P48a/113 typescript report of a speech delivered by Mary MacSwiney at a meeting held under the auspices of the Irish Self-Determination League and the Roger Casement Sinn Féin Club in Essex Hall, London, commemorating the second anniversary of the death of Terence MacSwiney, 1922.

Papers relating to the USA, 1919 to 1939:

Correspondence files, 18 files of correspondence relating to American moral and financial support for the republic; Mary MacSwiney's tours to America in 1921 and 1925, etc.

P48a/116 includes correspondence relating to Mary MacSwiney's hunger strike, 11 January to 12 December 1922.

P48a/139 copy of a letter from Mary MacSwiney to S T O'Ceallaigh concerning the Treaty, imprisonment in Mountjoy and E de Valera's attempts to smash the IRA. 'Do you and de Valera and Rutledge think you are going to smash the IRA? Are you such fools as to think you can succeed where your predecessors failed?', 22 May 1936.

P48a/160 typescript report assessing the impact of Mary MacSwiney's American tour and reporting on the way she had been feted by the Americans as if she was one of the 'great world leaders'. The report details McSwiney's appearance in Washington before the Commission that was investigating conditions in Ireland, 1922.

P48a/177 'The Background of the Irish republic', a printed testimony by Mary MacSwiney before the American Commission on conditions in Ireland, 1921 (62 pages).

P48a/179 'Mrs MacSwiney's story', testimony of Muriel MacSwiney given to the American Commission on conditions in Ireland, 1921.

P48a/182 'Statement from the women of Ireland to the senate and congress of the United States', signed by K M O'Brennan and K Lynn, members of the Women Prisoners' Defence Association, outlining events in Ireland from 1916 to 1922 and demanding among other things prisoner-of-war treatment for those captured during the Civil War in Ireland and asking America to mediate, 1922.

Controversy between republicans and the Church, 1914 to 1940:

P48a/194 correspondence relating to Mary MacSwiney's hunger strike while imprisoned in Mountjoy, and the subsequent refusal of the Church to administer the sacrament to her. Includes several letters from the Military Governor of the prison regarding visitors and the censorship of Mary's correspondence, 5 November to 30 December 1922.

P48a/205 draft and fair copy of a statement by Miss O'Rahilly concerning the refusal of Rev. Augustine Farrell to administer the Sacrament to her, December 1922.

P48a/206 copy of a statement by Mary MacSwiney concerning her arrest, imprisonment and denial of the sacraments by the Church, 1922.

P48a/207 manuscript and typescript copies of a statement by Margaret Buckley concerning her arrest, imprisonment and denial of the sacraments by the Church, 1922.

P48a/233 outdoor photograph of Mary MacSwiney sitting beside a priest and holding an umbrella, no date.

Dáil Eireann, 1921 to 1942:

P48a/239 includes a letter from the President, Art O'Connor, appointing Mary MacSwiney as Acting President of the Republic during his absence, 30 June 1926.

P48a/281 manuscript copy of a report submitted to the government concerning a meeting of the Republican TDs which was held in Suffolk street, Dublin, on 14 September 1923.

P48a/298 diary containing some notes made by Mary MacSwiney during and concerning Dáil debates, April to June.

P48a/300 5 notebooks containing notes scribbled by Mary MacSwiney on a variety of political issues, 1920 to 1930.

Articles, publications and newspapers:

7 manuscript and typescript copies of articles by Mary MacSwiney relating to the Dail, the Constitution and the Republic.

Papers relating in general to Mary MacSwiney's political career, 1916 to 1940.
7 volumes of letter books relating to Mary MacSwiney's activities and to the various issues with which she dealt, 1926 to 1930.

P48a/371 correspondence with Dorothy MacArdle, mainly relating to a review of MacArdle's book 'The Irish Republic', includes letters written by MacArdle while she was in Mountjoy prison, 6 April to December 1926.

P48a/374 correspondence with Margaret Buckley, 24 Marguerite Road, Glasnevin, Dublin, pertaining to charges alleged to have been made by Mary MacSwiney that Margaret was 'petty' and 'vindictive' and that she was a quitter, 9 to 11 May 1938.
22 files of typescript copies of letters, mostly from Mary MacSwiney, to editors of various newspapers relating to a very wide range of political issues, 1920 to 1940.

P48a/405 4 typescript copies of speeches made by Mary MacSwiney on such subjects as the importance of maintaining the Irish language, the Treaty and the Civil War, 1920 to 1940.

P48a/462 typescript biographical text of Mary MacSwiney by her sister, Mother Margaret MacSwiney, 1940s, 144 pages.

P48a/466 notes on Mary MacSwiney by Moirin Chevasse, 1950s.

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