The Herbert Hitchen Irish collection consists of broadsides, correspondence, photographs, catalogs, clippings, prospectuses, and publications concerned with modern Irish literature, mainly from the period known as the Irish Renaissance. Herbert Hitchen (1874-1979) was born in Norland, Yorkshire. He was pastor of the Unitarian Church of Northampton, Massachusetts, 1958-1966, and was an avid collector of Irish literature. Hitchen formed his collection around publications from the Cuala Press, a small press in Dublin owned by Elizabeth C. Yeats, as well as manuscript material from poets and playwrights such as Joseph Campbell, Lennox Robinson, Jack B. Yeats, Willam B. Yeats, and George Russell (also known as AE). The collection was purchased by Smith College from Herbert Hitchen in 1965, and rare materials were transferred to the Mortimer Rare Book Room. The Herbert Hitchen Irish Collection consists of 134 folders arranged in 2 boxes and one oversize box. Box 1 contains folders 1-60. Box 2 contains folders 61-128. The Oversize box contains folders A-F. All material is arranged alphabetically within each series by main entry, and then chronologically.

This collection is organized into seven series:

• I. Broadsides, 1921-1937
• II. Catalogs, 1965-1970
• III. Clippings
• IV. Correspondence
• V. Photographs and Etchings
• VI. Prospectuses
• VII. Publications

The Herbert Hitchen Irish Collection consists of 134 folders arranged in 2 boxes and one oversize box. Box 1 contains folders 1-60. Box 2 contains folders 61-128. The Oversize box contains folders A-F. All material is arranged alphabetically within each series by main entry, and then chronologically.