Sample collection on women migrants at the University College Dublin Special Collections Department below
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Collection title: Annie O’Donnell Letters (Ireland/USA: 1901–1904)
Description: Over seventy letters between Annie O’Donnell, an Irish emigrant to America, and James M. Phelan. The letters span a period of over three years prior to their marriage. Annie and Jim met on the Adria, a ship bound for America, in 1898. With 1,100 passengers, they were among many other immigrants and returning ‘non-immigrant aliens’ (people who had immigrated to America previously and were now returning from a visit home). Many of the immigrants at this time were women. These letters provide an insight into the life of an Irish servant girl at this time living in America. Annie had the good fortune to be positioned with an elite industrial family who treated their employees well. She notes in one of her letters that she is fortunate to have such a good job.
Archive address: UCD Special Collections – James Joyce Library – University College Dublin – Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Reference number: IE/UCD/SC/AOD
Links: The catalogue is available from the University College Dublin Special Collections Department, and details here.
Publications: Maureen Murphy, Your Fondest Annie: Letters from Annie O’Donnell to James P. Phelan 1901–1904 (Dublin: UCD Press, 2005).
Contributor: Elizabeth Mullins