Trustees Pleased with New Library
THE CLARE CHAMPION, SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1953
13,000 books issued in 12 months
Mr. Victor Kilkenny, of Summit, New
Jersey, and Mr. A.J. Martin, Manhassett, Long Island, the two American
trustees of the Sweeney Memorial Library, arrived in Kilkee on Monday
with their Attorney, Mr. Edward B. Hourigan, Closter, New Jersey. Mr.
Kilkenny and Mr. Hourigan were accompanied by their wives, while Mr.
Martin had with him his twenty-year-old daughter, Miss Marie F. Martin.
The trustees, after a visit to the Very Rev. M. Canon Grace, P.P., inspected the Library building and were met by Mr. Harry Culhane, Chief Librarian.
Prior to the arrival of the party, the Irish and American flags were blessed and hoisted over the library by the Very Rev. Canon Grace.
In an interview, the Trustees said that they were happy to be in Ireland, which they thought was one of the most beautiful spots in the world. The library building met with their full approval and was well operated by the Librarian, Mr. Culhane. They were amazed to learn that over 13,000 books were issued during the past twelve months and it was intended to increase the stock of books yearly as the income from the 200,000 dollars fund invested in American Government Bonds allowed.
Asked if it was the intention to hand over control of the building to the local Town Council now that the building was completed, Mr. Kilkenny said that the Trustees were appointed by the Courts of New Jersey to carry out the wishes of the late Dr. W.J. Sweeney and the Court would have to retain control over the fund and the building. The Trustees could only make recommendations to the Court, and if the people of Kilkee or the Town Council had any special problem to discuss they would be willing to hear it and make a report to the Courts. He further stated that even if the value of the dollar fell to four or five shillings, the yearly income from the fund invested in Government Bonds would maintain the building, as the fund, after meeting the cost of the building and a stock of books, was now more than 200,000 dollars.
Parents were Irish
The Trustees and their party left Kilkee
on Wednesday and will travel to the Continent, where Mr. Martin has
some more business to transact.
Mr. Kilkenny’s parents, who are now dead, were Irish born. His father was from Mayo, while his mother was Sarah Smith, a teacher in a school near Harold’s Cross, Dublin, before leaving for America. Mr. Kilkenny intends to seek some of his relatives in Mayo and Dublin before leaving Ireland.
While Mr. Martin and Mr. Hourigan have Irish connections, they failed to locate any relatives when last in Ireland over two years ago.
Quarter Million Dollars
Kilkee got the library when Dr. William
J. Bank of New Jersey and who lived in 68 Clifton Terrace, Weehawken,
U.S.A., died in 1945 and left over a quarter of a million dollars for
the erection and maintenance of a library in the town, to be known as
the Sweeney Memorial Library. An inventory filed in the Orphans’
Court of New Jersey at the time showed that Dr. Sweeney left a gross
estate of 534,214 dollars, 297,309 dollars nett. The will was opposed
by Mrs. Marie E. Sweeney, of Lakewood, Rhode Island, step-mother of
Dr. Sweeney, and a big number of relatives, who claimed that the estate
should go to the next-of-kin when the appointed trustee, the United
States Trust Company of New York, failed to establish the library fund.
The case was tried in the Chancery
Court of New Jersey and it was ruled that the testamentary trust providing
for the library was a valid charitable trust and that the Court would
appoint substitute trustees. Messrs Martin and McCluskey were appointed
as trustees by the Court and Mr. Kilkenny was appointed to replace Mr.
McCluskey, who died shortly after his visit to Kilkee some two years
ago.
Local Committee Appointed
The Trustees, with the approval of the
Court, have appointed a local Advisory Committee consisting of the Very
Rev. M. Canon Grace P.P., Mr. H. Culhane, Chief Librarian, and the Chairman
of the Kilkee Town Commissioners.
The Town Commissioners claim that the committee should be enlarged to give the Council greater representation and that it should have more powers, especially regarding the concert hall, which is part of the library building. It has already made representation to the Trustees in the matter.
Will Visit the Pope
Mr. A.J. Martin, while on a visit to
the Continent, will visit the Pope. Little is known of Dr. Sweeney in
west Clare, where there is now no known relatives. His grandfather is
thought to have been a British Coastguard stationed at Carrigaholt,
while his father was Dr. Senan Sweeney, who emigrated to the U.S.A.
at the age of sixteen years.
The library building, which includes a concert hall with an elaborate stage and modern lighting, is estimated to have cost £25,000.
