Attic Press/Roisin Conroy Collection

Identity Statement

Content & Structure

• Scope & Content: The Archives of Attic Press (BL/F/AP) were generated and collected by Róisín Conroy as co-founder and publisher of Attic Press and as an activist in the Irish Women's Movement. They were deposited in the Boole Library, University College, Cork by Conroy in 1997. The core sections of the collection relate to the activities of Conroy while working as a librarian within the research unit of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU), to Irish Feminist Information (IFI) and to Attic Press. There is also a small amount of ancillary material. The collection therefore reflects the various facets of Conroy's career as a librarian and information officer, publisher, disseminator or information and campaigner for women's rights. The material dates from the early seventies to the 1990s. ↴

  The collection begins with records of the ITGWU’s research unit wherein Róisín Conroy worked as an information officer from 1970-1979 and move onto papers relating to the development and structure of Irish Feminist Information (IFI). In 1978 Róisín Conroy and Mary Doran set up IFI as a feminist organisation concerned with the publication and dissemination of information relating to women in Ireland. Over time IFI organised itself as a company and was overseen by a Board of Directors. Subject to change, directors on the board included Mary Paul Keane (co-founder of Attic Press), Patricia Kelleher, Gaye Cunningham, Anne Hyland and Pádraigín Ní Mhurchu (IWWU). Records of the Women’s Community Press are also preserved.

  In November 1984 IFI separated its training and publishing functions by launching their feminist publishing house – Attic Press. The archives which detail the development of both IFI and the setting up and subsequent development of Attic Press are listed in Section 2.1. Not all of the titles published by Attic Press are in this collection. The remaining material is most likely with Cork University Press which took over Attic Press in September 1997.

  Records relating to International Feminist Bookfairs, Women’s World Festivals and International Interdisciplinary Congresses are also contained in this important collection. Talks given by Ailbhe Smyth and Nell McCafferty can be found among the sound archives (BL/F/1566) concerning the history of the feminist movement and the development of the UCD women’s studies forum and course.

  Papers relating to women’s groups and associated organisations are also present. These women’s groups include the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement. Records therein relate to conferences and seminars as well as the examination of the history of the Irish Women’s Movement. Other women’s groups in this collection include the Council for the Status of Women, the Commission for the Status of Women with records generally relating to forums, seminars and reports. Papers relating to Irish Women United’s activities can be found in sub-section 6.3 and the issues they campaigned for. Associated groups within this section include those which campaigned for women’s rights such as the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the Irish Countrywomen’s Association.

  Papers relating to campaign issues have been divided into the following categories: employment equality, women’s resource centres, well woman centres, women and health, divorce, abortion, contraception, gay-rights, one-parent families and prisoners rights. Correspondence, reports, minutes, research notes, campaign literature, publications and press cuttings can be found among these papers. One of the campaigns in which Róisín Conroy played a vital role, and which is represented in this collection, was that of the campaign for a Unified Social Welfare Code (7.10). In 1982 Róisín Conroy took an action to the High Court regarding her inability to qualify for Unemployment Assistance due to the fact that she was, in law, still considered to be a married woman and without any dependant *. The High Court eventually ruled in favour of Conroy and discrimination inherent in the Social Welfare system had to be rectified by the state.

  This archive is a rich source of material documenting the activities of not only Róisín Conroy but other Irish women. These include Anne Speed, June Levine, Nell McCafferty, Mary Paul Keane, Mary Doran, Ann O Donnell, Ann Connolly, Therese Caherty, Patricia Kelleher, Marie McMahon, Marian Finucane and Ailbhe Smyth (to name but a few) and their efforts to change the status of women legally, economically and socially.

  Researchers should also be aware of sister collections to this archive housed in the Irish History Archive in Dublin. A complete set of Attic Press publications lie alongside the books published by Arlen House and Women’s Community Press at the Women’s Studies Dept., in University College Galway.

  *This was a legal technicality, or device, as Róisín Conroy (née Smyth) was separated and has a son, Joel Conroy, the custody of whom was decided by another High Court action.

• Appraisal Destruction ↴

  Permanent Retention

• Arrangement ↴

  1. RÓISÍN CONROY AND THE IRISH LABOUR MOVEMENT
  1.1. DEVELOPMENT OF ITGWU LIBRARY SERVICES
  1.2.WOMEN AND UNIONS
  1.2.1. IRISH TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS UNION (ITGWU)
  1.2.2. IRISH CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS. (ICTU)
  1.2.3. IRISH WOMEN WORKER’S UNION AND FEDERATED WORKERS UNION OF IRELAND
  1.2.4. LABOUR WOMEN’S NATIONAL COUNCIL (LWNC)
  1.3. CAMPAIGNS
  1.3.1. EQUAL PAY
  1.3.2. SOCIAL WELFARE
  1.3.3. LEGAL AID
  1.3.4. CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW
  1.3.5.MATERNITY LEAVE
  1.3.6. DIVORCE
  1.3.7. OTHER
  1.4. IRISH LABOUR HISTORY SOCIETY
  1.5. COLLECTED PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

  2. IRISH FEMINIST INFORMATION AND ATTIC PRESS
  2.1. DEVELOPMENT AND STRUCTURE
  2.1.1. IFI PREMISES AT 48 FLEET STREET
  2.1.2. FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
  2.2. CORRESPONDENCE
  2.3.WOMEN IN COMMUNITY PUBLISHING COURSE (WCP COURSE)
  2.3.1. FUNDING OF THE WCP COURSE
  2.3.2. ADMINISTRATION OF THE WCP COURSE
  2.3.3. COURSE CONTENT
  2.3.4. PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN
  2.4.WOMEN IN COMMUNITY PUBLISHING GROUP
  2.5.WOMEN’S COMMUNITY PUBLISHING CO-OPERATIVE
  2.5.1. SOURCES COLLECTED RELATING TO CO-OPERATIVES

  2.6.WOMEN’S COMMUNITY PRESS

  2.7. SMALL PRESSES GROUP

  3. PUBLICATIONS
  3.1. ATTIC PRESS PUBLICITY
  3.1.1.MEDIA COVERAGE RE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY & ATTIC PRESS LAUNCH
  3.1.2. PROMOTIONS, LAUNCHES AND MARKETING OF ATTIC PRESS TITLES
  3.1.3. ATTIC PRESS AUTHORS. PRESS REVIEWS.
  3.1.4. AUTHOR’S PROFILES
  3.2. IRISH WOMEN’S DIARY &GUIDEBOOK
  3.3.WOMEN IN ARTS AND CULTURE
  3.3.1. HAIRY STRIPS BY ARJA KAJERMO
  3.3.2.WOMEN IN FOCUS: CONTEMPORARY IRISH WOMEN’S LIVES: A COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS PORTRAYING THE ORDINARY LIVES OF WOMEN FROM A FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE BY NELL MCCAFFERTY AND PAT MURPHY.
  3.3.3. [IRISH WOMEN ARTISTS – UNTITLED]
  3.3.4. EITHNE VINEY PRESSCUTTINGS
  3.3.5. LEADING LIVES BY RITA WALL
  3.3.6. ALIVE ALIVE O! RECOLLECTIONS & VISIONS OF DUBLIN WOMEN BY MÁIRÍN JOHNSTON
  3.3.7. INVENTING WOMEN’S WORK: THE LEGACY OF CHARABANC THEATRE COMPANY BY CLAUDIA HARRIS
  3.3.8. DELIA MURPHY’S STORY, BY AIDAN O’HARA
  3.4.WOMEN IN IRISH HISTORY
  3.4.1.MISSING PIECES VOL.1
  3.4.2.MISSING PIECES – HERSTORY OF IRISH HISTORY VOL.II 1
  3.4.3.MISSING PIECES VOL III
  3.4.4. SMASHING TIMES: A HISTORY OF THE IRISH WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT 1889-1922 BY ROSEMARY CULLEN OWENS
  3.4.5. DID YOUR GRANNY HAVE A HAMMER??? A HISTORY OF THE IRISH SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT 1876-1922 BY ROSEMARY CULLEN OWENS AND THE WOMEN IN PUBLISHING COURSE GROUP (SUFFRAGE PACK)
  3.4.6. AROUND THE BANKS OF PIMLICO BY MÁIRÍN JOHNSTON
  3.4.7.MODELS FOR MOVERS: IRISH WOMEN’S EMIGRATION TO AMERICA – IDE O’CARROLL (IRISH STUDIES OFFICE, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY; BOSTON, USA).
  3.4.8. AGAINST THE GRAIN: THE CONTEMPORARY WOMEN’S MOVEMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND BY EILEEN EVASON
  3.4.9. EMERGING FROM THE SHADOW: THE LIVES OF SARAH ANNE LAWRENSON & LUCY OLIVE KINGSTON BASED ON PERSONAL DIARIES: 1883-1969 BY DAISY LAWRENSON SWANTON
  3.4.10.WOMEN’S VOICES: AN ORAL HISTORY OF NORTHERN IRISH WOMEN’S HEALTH (1900-1990) BY WOMEN’S COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL UNION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES (NUPE)
  3.4.11. A LINK IN THE CHAIN: THE STORY OF THE IRISH HOUSEWIVES ASSOCIATION 1942-92 BY ELEANOR TWEEDY
  3.4.12.WOMEN, POWER AND CONCIOUSNESS IN 19TH CENTURY IRELAND (EIGHT BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES) BY MARIA LUDDY AND MARY CULLEN
  3.4.13. FIGHTING SPIRIT: SHEILA CONROY BY MARIANNE HERON
  3.4.14. FROM DUBLIN TO NEW ORLEANS: THE JOURNEY OF NORA AND ALICE BY SUELLEN HOY AND MARGARET MACCURTAIN 1
  3.4.15. IN THEIR OWN VOICE: IRISH WOMEN & IRISH NATIONALISM BY MARGARET WARD
  3.4.16. I CALL TO THE EYE OF THE MIND: AMEMOIR BY SARAH HYLAND; EDITED BY MAUREEN MURPHY
  3.4.17. LESBIAN LIVES BY INEZ REIDER
  3.5. TITLES IN WOMEN’S STUDIES
  3.5.1. PERSONALLY SPEAKING:WOMEN’S THOUGHTS ON WOMEN’S ISSUE, BY LIZ STEINER-SCOTT
  3.5.2. FEMINIST THEOLOGY, BY MARY CONDREN
  3.5.3. POWER, CULTURE, SOCIETY: ESSAYS ON IRISH WOMEN IN THE 1990S – A READER FOR IRISH WOMEN’S STUDIES EDITED BY AILBHE SMYTH
  3.6. POLITICAL &LEGAL TITLES
  3.6.1. NELL MCCAFFERTY
  3.6.1.1. The Best of Nell: A Selection of writings over fourteen years
  3.6.1.2. Goodnight Sisters. Selected Writings Vol. Two
  3.6.1.3. Articles by Nell McCafferty
  3.6.1.4. A Woman to Blame by Nell McCafferty
  3.6.1.5. Media Coverage of Kerry Babies Case
  3.6.1.6. Peggy Deery: A Family at War by Nell McCafferty
  3.6.2. LYN: A STORY OF PROSTITUTION BY JUNE LEVINE AND LYN MADDEN
  3.6.3.MAIREAD FARRELL: A POLITICAL LIFE BY BRÍONA MCDERMOTT
  3.6.4. EMILY O’REILLY
  3.6.4.1. Candidate: The Truth Behind the Presidential Campaign
  3.6.4.2. Masterminds of the Right
  3.6.4.3. Research notes and articles
  3.6.5.WEB OF PUNISHMENT: AN INVESTIGATION BY CAROL COULTER
  3.6.6. THE ABORTION PAPERS IRELAND ED. BY AILBHE SMYTH
  3.6.7. CRIMES WORSE THAN DEATH BY KATE SHANAHAN
  3.7. HANDBOOKS – DEALING WITH SOCIAL ISSUES AND CITIZEN’S ADVICE.
  3.7.1.WHO OWNS IRELAND WHO OWNS YOU? – COORDINATED BY CARMEL JENNINGS.
  3.7.2. LIFTING THE LID: HANDBOOK OF FACTS AND INFORMATION ON IRELAND BY URSULA BARRY
  3.7.3. SINGLED OUT PUBLISHED BY CHERISH AND WOMEN’S COMMUNITY PRESS
  3.7.4.WOMEN AND POVERTY BY MARY DALY
  3.7.5. FROM THE PERSONAL TO THE POLITICAL: AWOMEN’S EDUCATION WORKBOOK
  3.7.6. DIVORCE?: FACING THE ISSUES OF MARITAL BREAKDOWN EDITED BY MAGS O’BRIEN
  3.7.7. BULLYING: A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS BY VIVETTE O’DONNELL IN CO-OPERATION WITH CAMPAIGN AGAINST BULLYING (CAB). PUBLISHED BY BASEMENT PRESS.

  3.8. FICTION TITLES
  3.8.1. TEENAGE FICTION
  3.8.1.1. Daisy Chain War by Joan O’Neill
  3.8.1.2. Bright Sparks Fan Club

  3.9. ANTHOLOGIES
  3.10. POETRY
  3.11. OTHER TITLES 185
  3.11.1. THE CITIES OF DAVID: THE LIFE OF DAVID NORRIS BY VICTORIA FREEDMAN 186
  3.11.2. 1996 GAY DIARY & HANDBOOK
  3.12. ATTIC PRESS GENERAL

  4. FEMINIST BOOKFAIRS
  4.1. 1ST INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST BOOKFAIR
  4.2. 2ND INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST BOOKFAIR
  4.3. 3RD INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST BOOKFAIR
  4.4. 4TH INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST BOOKFAIR
  4.5. 5TH INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST BOOKFAIR
  4.6. 6TH INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST BOOKFAIR

  5. INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY CONGRESSES
  5.1.WOMEN’S WORLDS FESTIVAL &3RD INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY CONGRESS ON WOMEN (DUBLIN)
  5.1.1. ORGANISATION OF THE FESTIVAL
  5.1.2. PARTICIPANTS
  5.1.3. THE CONGRESS ITSELF AND AFTERMATH
  5.2. VISIONS AND VOICES: A SYMPOSIUM – IRISH WOMEN’S ART &LITERATURE (SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY)
  5.3. 4TH INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY CONGRESS ON WOMEN ENTITLED ‘WOMEN’S WORLDS: REALITIES AND CHOICES’ HELD AT HUNTER COLLEGE, THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.

  6. WOMEN’S GROUPS AND ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS
  6.1. IRISH WOMEN’S LIBERATION MOVEMENT
  6.1.1. DEVELOPMENT – CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS
  6.1.2. PHOTOGRAPHS
  6.1.3. RESEARCH RE WOMEN IN IRELAND
  6.1.4. HISTORY OF THE IRISH WOMEN’S MOVEMENT

  6.2. COUNCIL AND FOR THE STATUS OF WOMEN &COMMISSION FOR THE STATUS OF WOMEN
  6.2.1. COUNCIL FOR THE STATUS OF WOMEN
  6.2.2. COMMISSION FOR THE STATUS OF WOMEN

  6.3. IRISH WOMEN UNITED

  6.4. IRISH COUNCIL FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES

  6.5. IRISH COUNTRYWOMAN’S ASSOCIATION (ICA)

  7. CAMPAIGNS AND WOMEN’S ISSUES

  7.1. EMPLOYMENT EQUALITY
  7.2.WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRES
  7.2.1. RESOURCE CENTRE
  7.2.2.WELL WOMAN CENTRE
  7.2.3. CAMPAIGN TO ESTABLISH A WOMAN’S CENTRE IN DUBLIN
  7.2.4. RAPE CRISIS CENTRE
  7.3.WOMEN AND HEALTH
  7.3.1. GENERAL
  7.3.2. GYNAECOLOGY
  7.3.3. DRUG ABUSE AND THE DRUGS INDUSTRY
  7.3.4. HEALTH EDUCATION BUREAU (HEB)
  7.3.5. HEALTH SERVICES IN IRELAND

  7.4. DIVORCE

  7.5. ABORTION

  7.6.CONTRACEPTION

  7.7. GAY RIGHTS

  7.8. ONE PARENT FAMILIES

  7.9. PRISONERS RIGHTS

  7.10 THE CAMPAIGN FOR A UNITED SOCIAL WELFARE CODE

  7.11. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

  7.12.MURRAY DEFENCE COMMITTEE

  7.13MARIE MACMAHON SUPPORT GROUP

  7.14 SEXISM IN EDUCATION

  7.15 STATUS CONFERENCE AND WOMEN’S AD HOC ELECTION COMMITTEE

  7.16 ANTI-NUCLEAR CAMPAIGN

  7.17 OTHER

  8. UN CONFERENCES
  8.1.WORLD CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN, EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE (COPENHAGEN; JULY 1980)
  8.2. 1985WORLD CONFERENCE OF THE UN DECADE FOR WOMEN – NAIROBI
  8.2.1. UN LITERATURE
  8.2.2. IRELAND’S ROLE AT THE CONFERENCE
  8.2.3. COLLECTED PUBLICATIONS THEREIN
  8.3. 4TH UNWORLD CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN: BEIJING &BEYOND

  9. WOMEN’S STUDIES AND FEMINISM
  9.1. DEVELOPMENT OF FORUM AND COURSES IN IRISH WOMEN’S STUDIES
  9.2 STUDIES ON IRISH WOMEN
  9.3. STUDIES OF WOMEN – GENERAL
  9.4 FEMINIST THOUGHT
  9.5 INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST INFORMATION NETWORKS
  9.6. CELEBRATIONS OF WOMEN
  9.6.1. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’ DAY
  9.6.2.WOMEN IN THE ARTS

  10. ANCILLARY PUBLICATIONS AND PRESS CUTTINGS
  10.1. FEMINISM
  10.2. ANARCHISM
  10.3. POLITICAL
  10.4. SOCIALISM
  10.5 OTHER
  10.6 PRESS CUTTINGS

  11. SOUND ARCHIVES
  11.1WOMEN’S HISTORIES
  11.2 PUBLICATION PROMOTIONS
  11.3 CONFERENCES
  11.4 OTHER RADIO PROGRAMMES RECORDED
  11.5WOMEN IN COMMUNITY PUBLISHING COURSE LECTURES
  11.6 COMMERCIAL RECORDINGS FOUND IN THE COLLECTION

  12. MEMORABILIA
  12.1 POSTERS

  13. MISCELLANEOUS

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Allied Materials

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