Catholic Truth Society
Irish Essays: Literary And Historical By Most Rev. John Healy, D.D., LL.D Archbishop Of Tuam, Dublin: Catholic Truth Society Of Ireland, 24, Upper O’Connell Street. 1908.
Collection Dates: [c1899-c1969]
Extent: circa 3,000 pamphlets
The Catholic Truth Society of Ireland was established in 1899, associated with the British Society founded in London in 1868.
The Society published and disseminated Catholic literature in popular and more accessible formats and operated on the basis of membership, with members receiving copies of pamphlets that were published.
In 1928, the Veritas Company was formed to take over the commercial aspect of the Catholic Truth Society. In 1969, Veritas merged with the Catholic Truth Society to become the Catholic Communications Institute of Ireland.
The collection contains approximately 3,000 pamphlets, arranged by each organisation. Many pamphlets feature highly stylised covers reflecting the Celtic iconography during the art deco and comic book styles of the 1940s and 1950s. Many popular titles were re-published in different decades, often with different covers.
One of the cover illustrators, George Altendorf, was a colleague of Harry Clarke, and later became art editor at the Irish Press. Some of the eclectic titles include: The Girl Worth Choosing (1955); Grow Up and Marry (1947); Divorce is a Disease (1944); Shall I Be a Nun? (1945); Hell and its Punishments (1948); Don’t Swear Like That! (1948); The Young Lady Says ‘No’! (1946), and What Not to Do on a Date (1960).
Examples of some of the pamphlets held in the Catholic Truth Society Collection.
I can read anything? : all right! then read this! (Lord, Daniel A, Rev., S.J. 1931)
Patrons and protectors: a short account of the lives of some Saints to whose special patronage are assigned certain occupations… (Blount, Dorothy 1931)
Gerald Griffin's reasons for his faith. (Griffin, Gerald.; Ryan, D.J., Br. 1933)
Ballads of Irish Bravery (McHugh, Roger J. 1934?)
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