Diaries of James Christopher Fitzgerald Kenny/Kenney. IE TCD MS 10800

IE TCD MS 10800, a single volume containing two diaries, with sketches, of James Christopher Fitzgerald Kenny/Kenney, 1840-1841. Diary for the year 1840 runs from page v to page 212; diary for the year 1841 runs from page 213 to page 624. Some sketches are integral to the diaries, others are pasted in, others are now numbered as plates; some, which were on single leaves, are now removed to IE TCD MS 10800a. Illustrations mainly consist of maps (with colour washes), ground plans, elevations or views, coats of arms, portraits of men (at least three of the author himself on 498, 518 and 526). Also included are heraldic devices. Kenney transcribed upwards of 80 letters from Mary Louisa McMahon of Chesterfield, Cross Ave., Booterstown, Co. Dublin who also wrote from the convent of St. Bridget at ?Agahdoe, Tullow, Co. Carlow; he painted two rough sketches of her to show how she had dressed her hair in response to his criticism of it. There is a silhouette of Miss McMahon done by 'the profile man' in Westmoreland St., Dublin. Many of the diary entries relate to Kenney's meetings and conversations with McMahon; the maps are usually of locations associated with her. The author included some poetry of his own composition (he won the Vice-Chancellor's Prize in 1840 (and 1841?)) including poems to his beloved. Pasted-in documents include: road tickets, Phoenix Park entry tickets, printed verse and advertisements from newspapers, a printed memo and an advertising card. Also included are financial and other memoranda; the results of the author's fortune-telling activities using 'Bonopart's Oroculum'; and his study schedules. The author read back over the diary in later years and added comments. The Bellews and O'Kellys were among the Kenney family acquaintances. The larger sketches/paintings (some of which are from memory; the quality and size varies) not including maps, show: Ballydoogan [or Ballydugan] house (4), Dalystown [or Dalyston] house (5), Mount Pleasant house (5), ?Killorban (Nugent burial vault) (6); Stradbrook House i.e. Kenney's home (floor plans) (70-70a, 160), St. Stephen's Green (81), Mt. Jerome cemetery (90-90a, 94, 141, 453), unnamed square (108), Pims Monkstown Botanical Gardens (115, 389, 4, 571), Tallaght church (135), Ballybawn (136), Nangor house and Clover Hill house (137), the dining hall at Queen's Inns (243), Trinity College (263), Clarendon St Chapel (plan) (114), Stoneyhurst , possibly not by Kenney (325), Blackrock park (unfinished) (354), Westland Row church (408), Salt Hill (Dublin) train station (459), Haddington House (home of 'Alderman Perrin who absconded to America with some monies'), interior plans and exterior views (476-7).