Dromoland

Reference Code: IE 2135 P84
Title: The Dromoland Photographic Collection
Dates of Creation: 1890-1895
Extent and Medium: 70 glass plate negatives

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Context

Name of Creator(s): O’Brien, Edward Donough, 14th Baron Inchiquin (1839-1900).

Biographical History: Edward Donough O’Brien was born on 14 May 1839 as the eldest son of Lucius O’Brien, 13th Baron Inchiquin of Dromoland by his first wife, Mary née Fitzgerald. He was educated at Cambridge and succeeded his father as 14th Baron Inchiquin in 1872.  He served as Representative Peer of Ireland between 1873 and 1900 and held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of county Clare between 1879 and 1900.  In 1862 he married the Hon. Emily Holmes à Court as his first wife and by her had four children: Geraldine Mary (1863-1951), Lucius William (1864-1929), Murrough (1866-1934) and Edward Donough (1867-1943).  His first wife died in 1868, and six years later he married as his second wife the Hon. Ellen Harriet White (1854-1913).  By his second wife, he had another ten children: Clare (1875-1950); Moira (1876-1957), Eileen (1877-1867), Maud (1878-1956), Donough (1879-1953); Beatrice (1882-1976), Lilah (1884-1968), Henry Barnaby (1887-1969), Doreen (1888-1960) and Desmond (1895-1915).   Edward Donough O’Brien died on 9 April 1900 and was succeeded by his eldest son from his first marriage, Lucius William O’Brien, as 15th Baron Inchiquin.

Archival History: Unknown.

Immediate Source of Acquisition: Purchased by the Special Collections and Archives Department for the University of Limerick from eBay on 1 December 2013.

 

Content and Structure

Scope and Content: Glass plate negatives depicting images of Edward Donogh O’Brien, 14th Baron Inchiquin of Dromoland and Leamanegh, his children from his second marriage to Ellen Harriet née White, other family members and friends.  Also depicted are views of Dromoland Castle and grounds, scenic beauty spots in County Clare and country houses and their occupants in England.

Appraisal, Destruction and Scheduling Information: All records have been retained.

Accruals: No accruals are expected.

System of Arrangement: The glass plate negatives have been arranged into five series according to their subject matter.  Series 1 contains images of Dromoland Castle and grounds.  Series 2 contains images of Edward Donough O’Brien, 14th Baron Inchiquin and members of his family.  Series 3 contains scenic views in Ireland.  Series 4 contains images taken of buildings in England.  Series 5 contains photographs of unnamed people who cannot with certainty be identified with the O’Brien family or with Dromoland Castle.

 

Conditions of Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access: No access to glass plate negatives.  For access to digital copies, please consult with the staff.

Conditions Governing Reproduction: Standard copyright regulations apply to all items.  For photocopying or reproducing material, please consult with the staff.

Language/ Scripts of Material: Not applicable.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements: Glass plate negatives in good or reasonable condition.

Finding Aids: A hard copy of the descriptive catalogue is available at the Special Collections and Archives Department, Glucksman Library, University of Limerick.

 

Allied Materials

Related Units of Description: The personal, family and political papers of the O’Brien family of Leamanegh and Dromoland are held in the National Library of Ireland.  The finding aid can be downloaded from https://www.nli.ie/sites/default/files/2022-12/143_inchiquin.pdf.

Publication Note: Some of the glass plate negatives in this collection were published in Colm Liddy’s book Long Ago in Dromoland (2021).

 

Description Control

Archivist’s Note: Papers arranged and described by Anna-Maria Hajba.  Grania O’Brien’s These My Friends and Forebears: The O’Briens at Dromoland (Whitegate, 1991) was used in the compilation of the finding aid, together with her personal recollections noted down on 1 June 2023.

Rules or Conventions: This description follows guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd edition, 2000, Irish Guidelines for Archival Description, 2009, National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997, and EAP Guidance on Data Protection for Archive Services, 2018.

Date of Description: July 2023.