Files of manuscript and typescript letters from John McGahern to various including writers, editors, family, and friends.
These are the original letters which are transcribed and published in "The Letters of John McGahern" edited by Frank Shovlin (Faber and Faber 2021). The files of letters present include from John McGahern to:
Patsy Murphy, Tom Callan, Jimmy Swift, Anne Annerson, Susannah Cappon, Patrick Gregory, Debbie Newt (Colgate), Neil and Mary Joy, Brian Friel, Nicholas and Eleanor Grene, Madeline McGahern, Mr. Charleton, Jason Epstein, Matthew Evans, Peter Lennon, Dympna McGahern, Tony Swift, Patrick Gregory, Stanley Van Der Ziel, Faber and Faber (re. Ligne de Fond Cover), Clare Rehill Robertson, J.D. Langton and Passmore (Colgate), Mary Keelan, Charles Monteith, Maggie Pernod, Donald, Ian Jack, Mary Kay Wilmer, and Dolores Cleary. Letter to a Sophie [ ], with comment "letters ...are never quite honest".
Also a piece of manuscript quotation by McGahern, with labelling as being "...Quoting Critique of "Walking along the Border".

Three manuscript letters from John Dillon, later (and final) leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party. Opens the letter dated 19 July 1890 mentioning David Sheehy "goes over tonight" and discusses agitations around evictions and tenants; Dillon has formed "a very bad opinion" of James Downey and arrangements for Sheehy to meet with O'Mara in Limerick.
Letter dated 11 Jul 1890 mentions enclosure of cheque for £18 for O'Mara for house repairs at Glensharrold.
Letter dated 5 Jul 1890 also mentions tenants, written on House of Commons Library headed paper.

Manuscript letters from Joe Slater, Colgate University, New York, to John McGahern, discussing Department matters and teaching within the department where McGahern worked, news of colleagues, travel and holiday plans, and related conversation.

Letters from Joe Kennedy, journalist and friend of John McGahern.

File of MS and TS letters from Joe Dowling, Artistic Director of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, to John McGahern, sending an expression of interest for receipt of a play by McGahern for consideration should he wish, and with further added comments on McGahern's writing from Dowling.

File of manuscript letters from Jimmy Swift to John McGahern. Swift was a close personal friend of McGahern from Dublin. The letters discuss their respective literary interests, comments on McGahern's stories and novels, and general personal news and discussions.

Two manuscript letters from American poet, Jean Valentine. One letter writes in thanks for books given to Valentine by McGahern after meeting with John and Madeline McGahern. The other thanks McGahern for arranging medical consultation for Valentine on an injury.

MS letters from Jane Davis to John McGahern. Davis was editor of The Reader magazine, and writing from c/o the Dept of English, University of Liverpool. Davis writes seeking a story by McGahern for inclusion in a future issue of the magazine. He offers to include "Reading and Writing", previously published but offered as a re-print to the magazine. Davis sends comments and thanks for the offer.

File of letters from a range of Irish and international writers and authors to John McGahern. Thse are largely single letters from writers, and all generally discussing McGahern's writing. Letters present from the following:
Tomás MacAnna (Abbey Theatre Dublin) discussing the Abbey reading of the script of McGahern's play "The Power of Darkness" (n.d., c. 1980s); Peter Fallon, Gallery Press, 1 Nov 1977); Nuala Ó Faoláin (1996); Liam Lynch (1987); Catriona Clutterbuck (1999); John Bruton; George O'Brien (1993); Gordon Lish, Esquire Magazine (n.d.); Stephen J. Joyce (1996); Penelope Lively (2005); Christy Moore (1991); Belgian Ambassador; Claire Keegan; [Horace] Gregory (1970); Patricia Burke Brogan (2004); Jennifer Johnston; Anthony Farrell, Lilliput Press (1999); Olivia O'Leary (1999); Gratton Freyer; Mary Goldrick O'Neill (daughter of Michael McLaverty, 2003); Cathal Goan; [ ] Poitier; Maura Cregan (2005); Chris Murray, University College Dublin (2003), and Niall Mac Monagle (2002-2003).

File of MS letters from editor Ian Hamilton, with discussions with John McGahern regarding stories for inclusion in The New Review, Bloomsbury and reviews for the Times Literary Supplement.