The University of Limerick library has accepted a rare collection of west Limerick historical documents dating from as early as 1875.
The archives, which document the lives of the students at Glin Industrial School for Boys, were officially donated to the Glucksman Library by Tom Wall at Plassey House, UL.
Mr Wall stated at the ceremony, “we were always afraid of this collection getting dispersed, I can’t say how thankful I am to the University of Limerick library for taking the entire collection; it means so much to me and to the memory of those who suffered”.
Mr Wall acknowledged the “powerful historical and educational purpose” served by the collection and expressed his gratitude to the University of Limerick for providing a perfect platform to researchers and historians to access “such a terrible but important part Irish history”.
“All of these photographs were taken in the institution on this camera, which has also been donated to the archive,” said Mr Wall, explaining why he tried to save so many of the documents after being ordered to burn them with the closure of the school. “These photos are practically all staged, it was only ever for show, that’s something that shouldn’t be forgotten.”
Mr Wall said the letters sent by students to their families never left the institution, and the letters that they were meant to receive were never given to them.
“Just this Sunday night gone I found a letter in the pile which was intended for me from my aunt who was in a Magdalene Laundry,” says Tom, “she was writing to ask me to visit her when she was coming to Foynes in 1972, but I was never given that letter. She’s dead 20 years now.”
Dr Vincent O’ Connell of the UL History Department said there is a lot more to be done with regard to this collection. “There is room for a lot more research here. An oral history would add so much to this collection; to allow those who never got to tell their story to do just that.”
Mr Wall said he would encourage a sponsorship for students and researchers to look into this collection as there is “an enormous amount in need of a professional eye”.
Mr Ken Bergin head of Special Collections at The Glucksman Library UL sais they were "thrilled to have this collection in special collections, though it is a terrible story in Irish history it will allow for immense research. We have to protect the confidentiality of the people who are in the photographs and the documents as this is quite a recent history, the 1950's is still contemporary."
The special collections department at UL Library have stated that material from the 19th century will be available to researchers as soon as the collection is listed.