“Father O’Ford” (probably 1931)
The manuscript consists of 2 sheets of unlined rolled paper, with an ornamental watermark of two arms connected at the elbow, both in armor and wielding a hand axe, which were torn from a tablet at the upper edge. They are a double-spaced top (original) black ribbon copy and a bottom (carbon) copy also in black ink.
“Father O’Ford | (Air: Father O’Flynn)”.
The manuscript measures 24.7 x 20.8 cm
The manuscript is a song about Ford Madox Ford.
Joyce probably wrote this manuscript in late 1930 or early 1931 in Paris (see unpublished letter from Joyce to Harriet Shaw Weaver; 16 February 1931, cited in JJII 803 n116).
“James Joyce” is typed below the text and below it on the top copy only “1930” was written in pencil, probably by Sylvia Beach.
The top copy sheet of this manuscript has been reproduced in black and white photo-facsimile on JJA 1.343 and appears in JJII (pp. 635–636n) and then was published in PSW, p. 138.
The manuscript is a picture post card of the church of St. Peter in Avignon, France, with “AVIGNON – Église St-Pierre (Xe Siècle)” printed at the top of the image on the recto, which Joyce sent to Sylvia Beach, with writing in Joyce’s hand in black ink on the other side.