File of manuscript and typescript letters from Madeline McGahern to her husband, John McGahern. Letters are written mostly from Paris, France, and in Leitrim, Ireland, to John at locations including Hamilton, New York. They include personal family news, updates, and comments from recent family events and gatherings, comments on those who may have read John's books and given feedback, news of visits such as to Anne and Brian Friel, farming news, business updates from agents and re. books, travel plans to be with John and related personal discussions.

File of manuscript and typescript letters from Annikki Laaksi, first wife of John McGahern. Letters are all personal in detail and are written from Helsinki, Finland where stated. All relate to their relationship, marriage, time spent apart while McGahern was working in Hamilton, New York, family news and updates, visits with friends, travels, and later details and discussions regarding the breakdown of the marriage and later divorce.

File includes two manuscript letters from Mary Lavin to John McGahern, from 1985 and from 1989.

One letter and three postcards from Hermione Lee to John and Madeline McGahern. Postcards are all to John and thank John for his letter and for his essay on the Islandman, also comments on going to see a Field Day play in Ferry about Roger Casement. Letter to Madeline is in sympathy after the passing of John, and offers condolences and pays tribute to John McGahern.

Letters from Peter Lennon, one written on headed paper of The Listener, BBC, London, discussing McGahern's stories (1988); other letters regarding work and editorial changes at The Listener, Lennon's thoughts and comments on McGahern's books, including Memoir.

File of manuscript letters from Pierre Leiris, discussing McGahern's work, from The Dark to Nightlines, commentary on other literary matters.

File of letters from Michael and Edna Longley to John and Madeline McGahern, includes thanks for support in "the Hewitt affair", separate letter thanks McGahern for pulling out of a summer school over the incident and with detail on the situation (1996), meeting with the McGaherns in Denmark; comments after McGahern visited to Belfast (1979); Letter from Edna to John from her base in Sweden as a Visiting Professor, thanking McGahern for reading at a Festival and adding comments on Seamus Heaney's Nobel Prize win (1996); Letter from Edna to John inviting him to read at Queen's University Belfast (1978).
Card with poem "The Blackthorn" from Edna Longley, with added comments about the breakdown of marriage of John and Janey Banville; Poem from Michael Longley, "The Rainbow" with note sent to John (!999); Poem in dedication to John McGahern, "Hawthorn", by Michael Longley and sent to Madeline McGahern following the funeral of John McGahern. (2006).

File of letters and one postcard from Professor Liliane Louvel, Université De Poitiers, France, discussing her work, McGahern's books, French and Irish writing.

Two postcards from Liam Keaveney to John McGahern, sending good wishes.

MS letters from Tom and Peggy Leen, sending personal good wishes, news of McGahern family members, and comments on the public attitude to McGahern's books, from The Barrack to the Dark and later public attitudes towards McGahern that he encounters in the local pub.