Descriptive Summary
MacNamara, Brinsley, 1890-1963
Brinsley MacNamara Collection
1868-1968 (bulk 1919-1962), undated
Manuscript Collection MS-02630
18 document boxes (7.56 linear feet)
Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin
The Brinsley MacNamara Collection contains
manuscripts, correspondence, and other papers of the Irish novelist, actor, playwright, and
critic John (or A. E.) Weldon, who was best known by his pen- and stage-name Brinsley
MacNamara. The manuscripts represent novels, plays, poems, short stories, and criticism,
much of the latter presented as radio broadcasts. Other papers include legal agreements,
royalty statements, research materials, and writings by others about MacNamara and/or his
works.
English; one item translated into
Gaelic
Scope and Contents
The Brinsley MacNamara Collection contains manuscripts, correspondence, and other papers of
the Irish novelist, actor, playwright, and critic John (or A. E.) Weldon, who was best known
by his pen- and stage-name Brinsley MacNamara. The manuscripts represent novels, plays,
poems, short stories, and criticism, much of the latter presented as radio broadcasts. Other
papers include legal agreements, royalty statements, research materials, and writings by
others about MacNamara and/or his works.
This collection was previously accessible only through a card catalog but has now been
re-cataloged as part of a retrospective conversion project. The material remains as
originally organized into four series: I. Works, 1919-1959 (boxes 1-16); II. Letters
(outgoing correspondence), 1920-1959 (box 16); III. Recipients (incoming correspondence),
1926-1962 (box 17); and IV. Miscellaneous, 1868-1968 (boxes 17-18), with materials arranged
alphabetically by title or author. See the Indexes for Works, Letters, Recipients, and
Miscellaneous in this finding aid to identify additional titles of works and correspondent
names present in this collection.
The great majority of the collection consists of works by MacNamara, mainly dating from his
first staged play The Rebellion in Ballycullen at the Abbey
Theatre in 1919 through his last published work in 1951, The Whole
Story of X. Y. Z., an experimental novella. Two of the works in this series were
written using a later pseudonym, Michael Bedannis. MacNamara’s work on radio broadcasts is
also represented and includes his book reviews as well as programs on the melodies and songs
of the Irish poet and lyricist Thomas Moore (1779-1852).
Much of the correspondence (both outgoing and incoming) relates to MacNamara’s career and
represents actors, authors, broadcasters (Radio Éireann and the BBC) directors (Ria
Mooney, artistic director of the Abbey Theatre), literary agents, playwrights, publishers,
theaters (the Abbey Theatre and others), and various theater organizations.
Several of MacNamara’s works are further documented in the Miscellaneous series, which
includes royalty statements from the Abbey Theatre, contracts for plays and novels, reader’s
reports from the Abbey Theatre Play Competition, and royalty statements from several
publishers. Some materials document a legal case arising from the publication of MacNamara’s
controversial novel The Valley of the Squinting Windows (1918)
and the subsequent boycott of a school run by MacNamara’s father, James Weldon.
Sources:
Murray, Christopher. Brinsley MacNamara (John Weldon).
The Dictionary of Literary Biography, vol. 10, 1982.
Roche, Anthony. McNamara, Brinsley (John Weldon).
Dictionary of Irish Biography Online,
https://www.dib.ie/biography/mcnamara-brinsley-john-weldon-a5276 (accessed 19 September
2024).
Acquisition:
Purchases and gift, 1961-1973 (unnumbered purchase, 1961; R2137, R2969, R3643, R4700,
R4990, unnumbered gift 1973).
Access:
Open for research. Researchers must create an online Research Account and agree to the
Materials Use Policy before using archival materials.
Use Policies:
Ransom Center collections may contain material with sensitive or confidential information
that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers
are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living
individuals represented in the collections without the consent of those individuals may have
legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may
arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed
highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Ransom Center and The University of
Texas at Austin assume no responsibility.
Restrictions on Use:
Authorization for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the owner of
the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder
which must be obtained by the researcher. For more information please see the Ransom
Center's Open Access and Use Policies.
HRC Guide Headings
Subjects
Literature: British and Irish
Performers
Playwrights
Preferred Citation:
Brinsley MacNamara Collection (Manuscript Collection MS-02630). Harry Ransom Center, The
University of Texas at Austin.
Processed by:
Simon Marina and Joan Sibley, 2024.
Note: This finding aid replicates and replaces information previously available only in a
card catalog. Please see the explanatory note at the end of this finding aid for information
regarding the arrangement of the manuscripts as well as the abbreviations commonly used in
descriptions.
Related Material
Harry Ransom Center: Oliver St.
John Gogarty Collection, 1904-1965
Harry Ransom Center: George
Reavey Papers, 1914-1976
Harry Ransom Center: William
Robert Rodgers Collection, 1940-1960
National Library of Ireland: Catalogue
(Fourteen manuscripts by Brinsley Macnamara are listed, for The dark horse, The grand house
in the city, The glorious uncertainty, Michael Caravan, The master, The quenching of the
flame, and The three thimbles; also four letters; 1920-1959)
New York Public Library: A. E. Weldon Collection of
Papers, 1923-1958
University College Dublin: RTÉ Radio Drama and Variety Scripts, 1931-2000
University of Delaware: Brinsley
MacNamara manuscripts, 1938-1954
University of Kansas: Drafts by Brinsley
MacNamara, 1917-1930s
Separated Material
Harry Ransom Center: Photography
Literary Files Collection (55 items): Negatives of MacNamara, his family and
friends, and places in Ireland, 1890s-1960s (P1-P8, P10-P17, P20-P52); portrait of MacNamara
by the College Studios (Dublin, Ireland) (P53); nitrate negatives of views of Banimvanem
School (P9A-P9B) and Quinn Abbey, County Clare (P18A-P18B, P19).
Container List
Series I. Works, 1919-1959, undated
1.1
Unidentified; A
1.2-3
Unidentified fragments of works
1.4-5
Abbey Theatre
1.6
…and this is Mr. Logue!
1.7
The author and his characters
1.8
B
Broadcasts:
1.9
A - Z
1.10
Book reviews, 1937-1955
2.1
Book reviews: Miscellaneous fragments
2.2
Holiday reading, 1946
2.3
The book I am writing now, 1946
2.4
Thomas Moore: Moore programmes, 1939-1944
2.5
Thomas Moore: Moore's melodies (1st series)
2.6
Thomas Moore: Moore's melodies (2nd series)
2.7
Thomas Moore: Moore's songs of other lands, 1954
2.8
Thomas Moore: Miscellaneous fragments
2.9
With Thomas Bodkin, 1954
2.10
C
2.11
Circus daisy
2.12
The cuckoo clock (radio play; short story), 1942
2.13
D - F
2.14
The deserted village, by Oliver Goldsmith (scenario by Brinsley
MacNamara)
2.15
The envelopes of romance
3.1
The film of Hyacinth Sneyd
3.2
G
3.3
Going back to 'The Eighties' (short story)
3.4-5
The gradual disappearance of Mrs. Baynon
The grand house in the city (play, 1936):
3.6
Ams/draft/incomplete, 12 pages
3.7
Two Tms/incomplete; Tccms with corrections
3.8
Tccms, 75 pages
3.9
Miscellaneous Tccms pages, 42 pages
3.10
Tccms with A and T revisions
3.11
Tccms with A revisions, 147 pages
4.1
Composite T and Tccms pasted in notebook with A stage directions and
diagrams, 125 pages
4.2
Growing up in the midlands
4.3
H
4.4
The half-way husband
4.5-6
A happy life
4.7
Hero and heroine
4.8
Hester Trimble
The hotel (short story; also broadcast):
4.9
Ams fragment, 12 pages; Tccms/incomplete, pages 28-45; Tccms, 11 pp; Tms
broadcast version, 12 pages; Tccms, 12 pages
4.10
Ams, 22 pages
4.11
Tms/1st version, 20 pages; 2 Tccms/incomplete, 8, 10 pages
5.1
Tms/2nd version, 15 pages; Tccms, 15 pages; Tccms/incomplete, 11
pages
5.2
Tms/3rd version, 18 pages; 3 Tccms, 18 pages
The house in Park Avenue (some written under pseudonym, Michael
Bedannis):
5.3
Ams/working fragments, 13 pages
5.4
Ams, 90 pages
5.5
Ams, 87 pages, 1959
5.6
Tccms, 79 pages
5.7
Tms, 2 Tccms, 79 pages each
5.8
I - K
5.9
L - Marj
5.10-11
The land for the people (play, 1920; revised 1927)
5.12
The local journalist (play)
5.13
Look at the Heffernans! (play, 1926); with translation of Act I into Gaelic
by Frank Dermody
Lost in the years (play):
6.1
Ams and Tms fragments, 12 pages
6.2
Act I, Ams/fragment, 9 pages; Tms/incomplete, 10 pages; Tccms/incomplete,
19 pages; Tccms/fragments, 19 pages
6.3
Acts II and III, Tccms, 19 pages, 23 pages
6.4
Composite Tms, Tccms, and Ams, 75 pages
6.5-6
Acts I-III, Tms, 2 Tccms, 33, 22, 23 pages
6.7
Swift play synopsis, 4 pages; Swift's secret way, Tms, 199
pages
6.8-9
The man who knew Sherlock Holmes (short story)
6.10
Marcus Igoe lives again
6.11-12
Margaret Gillan (play, 1933; published 1934)
7.1
Mark - Mn
7.2-5
Marks and Mabel (play, 1945)
7.6
The Marquis (play)
7.7-10
The marrying man (play)
7.11-12
The master's holiday
8.1-4
Meeting Butterly
Michael Caravan (novel, published 1946):
8.5-6
Ams; Tms/Tccms incomplete fragments with A revisions, 320 pages
8.7-9, 9.1
Two Tccms with A emendations, 307 pages each, 1946 November -
April
9.2
Tms/incomplete with A and T emendations, pages 1-58; Tccms/incomplete with
A and T emendations, pages 1-25; 43-58; 1-42; 26-46a
9.3
Tmss; Tccmss; incomplete fragments with A revisions, 100 pages
9.4
Midland landscape
9.5
Mirror in the dusk, by Brinsley MacNamara and Ernest Cecil (play,
1929?)
9.6
Mo - Mz
9.7-10
Mr. and Mrs. Mason
9.11
Mullally's "Reverie"
10.1
N
10.2
O
Old Clonmellon (play; some written under pseudonym, Michael
Bedannis)
10.3
Ams notes, 3 pages; Ams and Tms, 36 pages
10.4
Amss working version; Ams, 100 pages
10.5
Ams, 105 pages
10.6-8
Tms, 93 pages; three Tccmss, 93 pages each
10.9
Act I Tms; Tccmss drafts with A revisions, 110 pages
10.10
Act II Tms; Tccmss drafts with A revisions; Ams pages, 120
pages
11.1
P
The picture gallery (short story? also radio adaptation):
11.2
Ams/draft, 24 pages
11.3
Ams, 13 pages
11.4
Tms with A revisions, 17 pages; Tccms, 17 pages
11.5
Tms, 34 pages; Tccmss/incomplete fragments, 49 pages
11.6
Tms/incomplete/1st version with A revisions, 23 pages; Tccms/incomplete
with A emendations, 18 pages; Tccms/incomplete, 22 pages
11.7
Two Tccms/2nd version, 51 pages each
11.8
Plots and notes for short stories and plays
11.9
Preservation from oblivion
11.10
R
11.11
Real people or The people in this play (play)
11.12
The rebellion in Ballycullen (play, 1919)
11.13
The return of Fanny Ellams (play)
Return to Ebontheever (novel, 1930):
12.1
Ams working draft/incomplete 60 pages
12.2-4
Tms; Tccms with A emendations, 273 pages each
12.5
Page proofs with A corrections. emendations, A insert, and two typed
inserts, 324 pages
12.6
Printed volume with A revisions for reprinting with title Othello's
daughter 327 pages
12.7
S
12.8
The swan
13.1
T - V
13.2
The thing that happened in Croane (novel, 1946)
The three graces (play, 1955; arranged for radio by Philip Rooney,
1958?):
13.3
Tms/1st version with A revisions, 75 pages, 1955
13.4
Tccms/1st version with A additions, 75 pages; Ams and Tccms fragments with
A revisions, 3 pages
13.5
Tccms/incomplete with A revisions, 45 pages
13.6
Two Tccmss/2nd version, 71 pages each
13.7
Tms/3rd version, 85 pages; Tccms, 84 pages, Tccms, 85 pages
13.8
Arranged for radio by Phillip Rooney Tms duplicated, 52 pages
The three mad schoolmasters:
13.9
Ams/incomplete with A emendations, 94 pages
13.10
Amss with A emendations and additions, 42 pages; Ams fragments, 15
pages
14.1
Tms; Tccms, 61 pages each
14.2
Composite Tms; Tccms with A revisions, 59 pages
14.3
Tccms/incomplete with some A revisions, 47 pages; Tccms/incomplete, 45
pages; Tms; Tccms fragments with some A revisions, 17 pages
14.4
Tms/incomplete with A revisions, 44 pages; Two Tccmss/incomplete, 44 pages
each
The three thimbles (play 1927, staged 1941):
14.5
AmsS, 57 pages; 56 pages; Ams/rough draft, 13 pages
14.6
Amss, 165 pages
14.7
Tms; Tccms fragments, 125 pages
14.8
Tccms. 88 pages; Tccms fragments, 3 pages; Tccms, 31 pages
15.1
Tms; Tccms/incomplete fragments, 119 pages
15.2
Tms with A revisions, 89 pages; Tccms with A revisions, 62 pages; Tccms, 64
pages
15.3
Tccms with A emendations, 75 pages; Tccms with A revisions, 29
pages
15.4-5
The uncrowned king (play), by Violet A Pearn and Brinsley
MacNamara
15.6
W
15.7
Wanted - An awe eee
15.8-10
The world and Garrett Reilly
15.11
X - Z
The X. Y. Z. (The whole story of X. Y. Z., novella, published
1951):
16.1
Ams drafts/incomplete with A revisions, 67 pages
16.2
AmsS with A emendations, 41 pages
16.3
Tccms with A additions and T corrections, 68 pages
16.4
Page proofs, 70 pages
16.5
Works I, Diary, 1954
Series II. Letters, 1920-1959, undated
16.6
Unidentified; A
16.7
B
16.8
C
16.9
D - F
16.10
G - I
16.11
J - L
16.12
M - O
16.13
P - R
16.14
S
16.15
T - Z
Series III. Recipients, 1926-1962, undated
17.1
Unidentified author; A
17.2
Abbey Theatre, 23 TLS, 1935-1959
17.3
B
17.4
C
17.5
D - H
17.6
I - K
17.7
L
17.8
M
17.9
N - Q
17.10
R - Z
17.11
The Talbot Press Ltd, 16 TLS, 1927-1946
Series IV. Miscellaneous, 1868-1968, undated
17.12
Unidentified; A - B
17.13
Abbey Theatre royalty statements, 1936-1955
17.14
Anvil Books Ltd, 1962-1968
18.1
C - H
18.2
I - L
18.3
Low Sampson, Marston & Co royalty statements, 1936-1944
18.4
M - Q
MacNamara, Brinsley:
18.5
A - Z
18.6
Abbey Theatre play competition: Readers report. 1948-1956
18.7
Case of Weldon vs. Tuite and others, 1923?
18.8
References in the Holloway diaries, 1910-1941
18.9
R - Z
18.10
The Talbot Press Ltd royalty statements, 1937-1951