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A scholar of European, British and Irish history, Emmet J. Larkin (1927-2012) was a key figure in the establishment of Irish Studies as an academic discipline. Now, his personal and professional papers reside at Boston College, which has earned international recognition for its programs and resources in Irish Studies.
Last week, the University officially marked the donation of the Larkin papers at an event in the Burns Library that featured remarks from some of his former students as well as Center of Irish Programs Executive Director Thomas Hachey and University Librarian Thomas Wall.
“Emmet Larkin helped Irish Studies come of age,” said Hachey, who expressed his appreciation to Larkin’s widow, Diane, for donating the materials last year. He also praised Wall and the BC Libraries archive staff for their work in processing the collection to make it ready for use.
Speakers noted that the Larkin papers not only included records of the groundbreaking American Conference for Irish Studies (ACIS) Larkin co-founded, but archival materials he used in his nine-volume history of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland from 1850-1900, regarded as one of the most extensive studies of the Church’s presence in Ireland. Among his other findings, Larkin – who taught at MIT and the University of Chicago – cited the parish mission movement as the critical element in the devotional revolution that took place in Ireland from 1850-80: In “literally a generation, the Irish people as a people, were transformed into those pious and practicing Catholics they have essentially remained almost down to the present day.”
Hofstra University Professor Maureen Murphy said the Burns Library was an appropriate repository for the Larkin papers, especially the ACIS materials, “since there was Irish Studies at Boston College before there was Irish Studies.”
The Larkin collection also features correspondence, research materials, drafts of books and other publications, records of professional activities, and teaching materials.