Rev. Francis Donnelly
With Admiration and Gratitude
From the Compiler, Editor, and Publisher.
Francis O'Neill
Nov 22 1924.
Letter from O'Neill to Rev. Donnelly, to accompany the gift of Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody (2nd ed.):
5448 Drexel Ave
Chicago Nov. 26 -'24
Dear Father Donnelly,
I am amazed at the wide scope
of your observations and the deep insight of your
philosophic knowledge as displayed in every
page of Little Cords through which I am
struggling with all availing aids to my very
gradually failing. eyesight.
Today I mailed you copy of an enlarged
and somewhat revised edition of Waifs + Strays
of Gaelic Melody. Circumstances did not favor
the compilation of the 1st Ed. to my satisfac -
tion. What was left of it, I destroyed as the
new edition came to hand.
Your attention is particularly directed to Nos
52 and 53. also No 65 of the fifteen additional airs -
For including No 52 - under the name "The Banks of
Lough Foyle" in my first publication The Music
of Ireland I was scandalously denounced by
a Father Gaynor in public lecture on music in the
city of Cork soon after the book's appearance in 1903.
Ignoring a thousand dance tunes then printed
for the first time. Rev. critic proclaimed to his
audience that anything (^in) the collection of value had
been stolen from Bunting and Petrie, as if the
Eighth commandment had been suspended in Cork!
No. 65 is a splendid air, now first printed
also a fine double jig in a different key and with a
double (punsh?) to second part.
"The Shaskeen Reel" no 327 in a new dress may interest you.
Thirty numbers added to first edition makes 365 in this - my last.
A glimpse of the paper enables me to write
legibly, but I don't enjoy writing as before.
Yours most sincerely + gratefully
Francis O'Neill
Biography:
Frances P. Donnelly (1869-1959) was a remarkable teacher and Jesuit scholar. Born December 10, 1869 in Pittston, PA, he was educated at Villanova and Fordham prep schools, and Jesuit Teacher's School in Frederick, MD. After taking vows in 1890 and receiving his A.B. and A.M. from Woodstock College, he began a teaching career that lasted over 50 years. He wrote on a variety of subjects, with multiple books and articles to his name, on subjects including the teaching of English, the history of the Greek language and its use in education, rhetoric, literature, etc. He also published in his book Shepherd My Thoughts lyrics to Irish songs, and wrote O'Neill about the provenance of tunes and songs published by others (noted by O'Neill in the letter above). He taught for 22 years at Fordham University in New York, retiring at the age of 81.
Provenance: Fordham University Library, with thanks to Michael Wares, Assistant Director for Technical Services for his communications, and to Vivian Shen, Conservation Librarian for these scans.
(Research by Virginia Stewart)