A collection of diaries, notebooks and other personal papers principally relating to the service of Rev R. Nevin Lyons in Northern Ireland and France during the First World War as chaplain with the YMCA, 1915-1917. The collection includes a number of diaries and notebooks written during the war; copy correspondence relating to Lyons' service with the YMCA; his passport and photographs including images of soldiers and a group photograph of Lyons with others. There are a significant number of postcards received by Lyons whilst on active service and some blank postcards, including YMCA ones, presumably collected by Lyons.
The papers also include a number of printed tracts and temperance literature presumably for distribution amongst the troops; Lyons' personal copies of YMCA publications; items of YMCA ephemera including refreshment tickets, epaulettes and a YMCA flag; and four printed items detailing the talks, public lectures and other events which Lyons was involved in following his war service. The collection comprises one carte de visite photograph from the 1860s, the remainder of the material can be dated from circa 1914-1921.
As a whole, these papers provide an insight into the work of Lyons, and the work of the wider YMCA, during the First World War. They provide valuable evidence of the nature of Lyons' spiritual and welfare work and throw significant light on the role and activities of the YMCA in the provision of support and comforts for the troops. The actions of war are also very evident in Lyons' diaries with references ranging from mentions of bombardments, guns, airships and searchlights to the wounding and deaths of soldiers and the funeral services Lyons conducted.