DE COURCY IRELAND, JOHN

Reference code:

IE UCDAD P29

15 boxes

Biographical history

Born Lucknow, India where his father was serving with the British army, educated at Marlborough School, the University of Oxford and TCD where he was awarded a PhD in 1951 for his research on Irish maritime history, de Courcy Ireland has had a distinguished and lifelong commitment to Irish and international maritime history and affairs, to radical politics and to humanism. He taught at Newpark School, Blackrock, County Dublin, 1968-86, ran as a Democratic Socialist for the European Parliament, and has been decorated by many foreign governments.

Scope and content

Secretary, Central Branch of the Labour Party: material concerning meetings, policies and membership of the executive council (1942ñ3), party administration and annual conferences (1943ñ76); the Dublin regional council (1953ñ9) and the Dun Laoghaire, Rathdown and Dalkey constituency councils and branches (1957ñ76); memoranda relating to maritime policy and local government (1955ñ75); election material (1970).

Vocational Education Committee: material relating to his membership of the committee (1949ñ74) and to his teaching career in schools in Dublin, Drogheda, county Louth and Bandon, county Cork (1942ñ76) including correspondence concerning a plan to emigrate and teach in Argentina (1949ñ50).

Documents relating to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (1953ñ76), the Maritime Institute of Ireland (1952ñ76) the Maritime Museum (1951ñ76), the Inland Waterways’ Association of Ireland (1954ñ62) and the Asgard Awards (1971ñ3). Correspondence with seafarers (1951ñ76).

Correspondence and other papers relating to the many associations, societies and pressure groups with which de Courcy Ireland was involved including the Campaign for European Civic Education (1965), Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (1963ñ76), Association for Curriculum Development (1972), Irish Voice in Vietnam (1967), Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement (1964ñ74), Wolfe Tone Society, Sinn Fein and other republican and socialist groups (1967ñ76), Anti-Imperialist Festival (1974ñ6), Irish Humanist Association (1972), Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation (1971ñ2), Teachers for Peace Committee (1951ñ62), Irish Arab Society (1971ñ6), Anti-European Economic Community Campaign (1972), Common Market Defence Campaign (1970ñ2), Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (1960ñ3), Resources Protection Campaign (1973ñ6), and civic groups in Dun Laoghaire and Dalkey, county Dublin (1954ñ76).

Correspondence and related papers concerning an appeal for a cessation of violence in Northern Ireland including letters to the British Ambassador and the Provisional I.R.A. (1969ñ72).

Correspondence, drafts and copies of articles and reviews on political, cultural, Arab, maritime, educational, literary and historical matters. Correspondence with editors of magazines and newspapers and with Radio Telefís Éireann relating to his journalism (1942ñ74). Personal correspondence (1943ñ76).

Workers’ Union of Ireland Port and Docks Branch registers (1937ñ40).

Access:

Available by appointment to holders of a UCDAD reader’s ticket