Guide to the John Byrne Collection
SJSU Library Special Collections & Archives
© 2008
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the John Byrne Collection
MSS-1971-01-01
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
Finding aid funded by the generous support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
- Date Completed:
- October 2008
- Encoded by:
- Diana Kohnke
© 2005 Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Title: John Byrne Collection,
Date (inclusive): 1886-1987
Accession number: MSS-1971-01-01
Creator:
Byrne, John
American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic
American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic
Collector:
Byrne, John
Condon, Mary
San José State College
Condon, Mary
San José State College
Collection Size:
13 Boxes,
11.58 linear feet
Repository:
San José State University Library, Special Collections & Archives
San José, California 95192-0028
Abstract: Friends of Irish Freedom (FOIF), the
American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic (AARIR),
the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), the
Irish Press (Dublin, Ireland),
the Irish Republican Prisoners and Soldiers Dependents Fund, and the
Celtic Cross Association are among the many Irish American organizations
that worked to support and fund Ireland's fight for independence.
This collection primarily consists of materials and documents from
the AARIR, but it also contains documents from other Irish American
organizations that relate to the administrative and fund raising
activities in which Irish Americans engaged. Additionally, there are
numerous Irish American newspapers, clippings, and pamphlets which
document the struggle for an Irish Republic.
Physical location:
Vault 1, Range 26B
Vault 1, Range 26B
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection: English and Irish. Irish
Languages represented in the collection: English and Irish. Irish
Collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the San José State University
Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission
to publish or quote manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the
Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives as the
owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be
obtained by the reader.
Copyright restrictions also apply to digital representations of
the original materials. Use of digital files from or derived from these
collections is restricted to research and educational purposes.
John Byrne Collection, MSS-1971-01-01, San José
State University Library, Special Collections & Archives.
Collection processed by Diana Kohnke. Finding aid EAD encoded by Diana Kohnke. Additional materials in the collection processed
and EAD encoded by Lynn Sheehy. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen.
This finding aid was created as part of the Survey and Cataloging Project, a two-year San José State University Library grant
project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project began in 2008. The Project Director
is Danelle Moon. The Project Archivist is Erin Louthen.
This is an artificial collection and has been added to
by multiple individuals. However, the bulk of the materials
were donated by Dr. Mary Condon, professor of Irish History at San José State University in the 1960s. The remainder of the
collection
was compiled by San José State University library staff.
The bulk of the materials in this collection were
preserved and maintained by the Secretary-Treasurer of
the Southern California chapter of the AARIR, John Byrne.
John Byrne entrusted these materials to Dr. Mary Condon.
John Byrne was born circa 1866 on a small farm 25 miles south of Dublin near Asford, Wicklow County, Ireland. In 1906 Byrne
moved to Los Angeles, California and became instrumental in helping to fund the Irish nationalist movement. Friends of Irish
Freedom (FOIF) emerged in California in 1916, becoming the state's primary Irish American organization. Its main purpose was
to gain independence for Ireland. John Byrne was the Secretary-Treasurer of the Southern California chapter of the FOIF and
worked to promote the cause by writing letters and distributing pamphlets. When the FOIF of California merged with Eamon De
Valera's newly founded American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic (AARIR), Byrne became the Secretary-Treasurer
of the Los Angeles chapter. Although returning only once to Ireland, John Byrne devoted his life to the Irish nationalist
cause.
Sarbaugh, Timothy J.
John Byrne: The Life and Times of the Forgotten Irish Republican
of Los Angeles.
Southern California Quarterly. 63, no.4 (Winter 1981).
Scope and Content of Collection
This artifical collection consists of materials relating to the activities of Irish American organizations as they worked
to support and promote Irish independence. The bulk of the documents represented are mainly from the early twentieth century
and are primarily from the Los Angeles chapter of the American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic (AARIR).
Items from the merging of the Friends of Irish Freedom (FOIF) with the AARIR are also represented. Additionally, there are
a significant number of documents from other Irish American organizations which are represented, such as the Ancient Order
of Hibernians (AOH), the Celtic Cross Association, the
Irish Press, the American Trade Defense Commission, the Irish White Cross, the Irish Republican Prisoners and Soldiers Dependents Fund,
and the American League for the Irish Freedom Fund. The collection contains financial records, organizational correspondence
and personal correspondence, publicity and event documents, newspapers, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, oral history tapes
and transcripts, and other printed matter.
This collection is arranged into four series:
Series I: Personal Correspondence;
Series II: Organizations;
Series III: Printed Matter; and
Series IV: Miscellaneous Related Material.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic
Ancient Order of Hibernians
Friends of Irish Freedom
Celtic Cross (Organization)
Irish Press (Dublin, Ireland)
Irish Republican Army
Sinn Fein
Irish Americans--California
Irish American Catholics--California--History
Irish Americans--Newspapers
Irish Americans--Societies, etc.
Republicanism--Ireland--History--20th century
Collection Contents
Series 1 Personal Correspondence 1886-1962
Physical Description:
1 Box, 14 Folders.
Scope and Content Note
This box consists of the personal correspondence of John Byrne and reflects his lifelong commitment to the Irish nationalist
cause. Included are letters to and from prominent Irish leaders, including Eamon De Valera and Sean O'Kelly.
Series 2 Organizations 1919-1959
Physical Description:
2 Boxes; Box 2 has 18 folders, Box 3 has 14 folders.
2 Boxes; Box 2 has 18 folders, Box 3 has 14 folders.
Scope and Content Note
Box 2 contains national, regional, and Californian AARIR documents. Also, documents from the AOH.
However, the majority of the documents reflect the activities of the
Los Angeles Chapter of the AARIR, and its role in the Irish Republican cause.
Box 3 consists of documents from national, regional, and Californian Irish
American organizations. It includes financial records, correspondence,
and Irish bonds. This series is arranged alphabetically and is deliniated
by organizational name.
Series 3 Printed Matter 1890-1987
Physical Description:
6 Boxes. Box 4 has 15 folders; Box 5 has 14 folders; Box 6 has 30 newspapers; Box 7 has 30 newspapers;
Box 8 has 8 folders; Box 9 has 8 folders.
Scope and Content Note
Box 4 consists of pamphlets, bulletins, speeches, press releases and event
documents relating to Irish Americans in the United States. This series reflects the activities of the Irish nationalist
movement
in the United States and in some cases specifically California.
Box 5 contains a variety of general newspaper clippings both cultural
and political in nature. Box 6 contains AARIR correspondence and picnic and reunion programs.
Also, in this box are American reports on conditions in Ireland and pamphlets about Irish groups and organizations.
Box 7 contains Irish American and Irish newspapers such as
The Irish American Review,
The Republic,
The Irish Nation,
The Irish World,
The
Leader
,
National Hibernian,
The Wicklow People,
Sinn Fein, and the
Irish Press.
Box 8 contains newspapers from the
Irish World and
The Irish Republic in addition to some unidentified photographs.
Box 9 contains newspapers from
The Irish Republic,
The Irish Press,
The Los Angeles Examiner,
National Hibernian,
Sinn Fein, and
The Wicklow People.
Series 4 Miscellaneous Related Material 1890-1987
Physical Description: 4 boxes. Box 10 has 8 folders; Box 11 contains 3 reel-to-reel audio tapes and 1 cassette tape; Boxes 12 and 13 contain index
cards.
Scope and Content Note
This series contains miscellaneous materials associated with John Byrne and Mary Condon. One box contains the personal
correspondence of John Byrne, letters to Mary Condon from Dennis Clark, the death certificate and personal effects
documents of IRA member Tom Fay, and materials gathered by Timothy Sarbaugh for personal research purposes. Two of the boxes
contain index cards used to organize the collection at an earlier date. One box contains oral history tapes believed to be
of Joseph Wehrly, the Murray Family, Margaret White, and John Bryne, Jr.