One of the most famous Diocesan archives in the country has this week gone on line.
The Bishop Delany archives, which care for the archival collections
of the diocese of Kildare & Leighlin, The Patrician Brothers, The
Brigidine Sisters and Carlow College now has its own website.
The collections are called after Bishop Delany, who served as Bishop
of the diocese from 1787 until his death in 1814, because of his
intrinsic link to all four collections.
He was Bishop of the diocese of
Kildare and Leighlin when Carlow College was completed and he was also
involved in the founding of both the Patrician Brothers and the
Brigidine Sisters.
Included in the online archive, which is housed at Carlow College, is
information on the papers of the various Bishops of the diocese from
1726 until 1967.
The collection on the Brigidine Sisters dates back to
1807 and relates to the work of the sisters in places such as Ireland,
Britain, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Mexico and Papua New Guinea.
The collection from the Patrician Brothers dates back from 1808 and
also includes information on the formation of the congregation as well
as detailing its work abroad in such countries as Britain, Australia,
India, USA , New Zealand and Kenya.
The information on Carlow College dates back to 1792 when the College
first opened as a priest training seminary and continued to do so for
more than 200 years.
The collection also holds smaller collections such as the papers of
individual priests and members of both the Patrician and Brigidine
Congregations.
Bishop Daniel Delany was born in 1747 at Paddock, Castletown parish, Co Laois into a wealthy farming family.
In 1763, at the age of 16, Daniel Delany went to France and studied
for the priesthood at both Paris and St Omer. He was ordained in 1770.
He taught in Paris for a number of years before returning to Ireland in
1777 when he was appointed curate at Tullow, Co. Carlow.
The Penal Laws were still in force in Ireland and life was difficult
was Catholics.
Education was denied them and there was widespread
agrarian unrest. Delany despaired of the widespread poverty and
lawlessness.
He was tempted to return to France but his mother
persuaded him to stay in Ireland.
In 1783, Delany was appointed Coadjutor Bishop, and in 1787, became
Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin. During his episcopacy, the
circumstances of Catholics improved.
His predecessor, Bishop James Keeffe, had founded Carlow College in
1782, and Bishop Delany brought this project to fruition.
In 1807 and
1808, he founded the Brigidine Sisters and Patrician Brothers
respectively. He died on July 9 1814.
The new website can be viewed at www.delanyarchive.ie.