Many Jesuit Provinces had missions in China before 1926 when the Vicar Apostolic of Hong Kong, Fr Henry Valtorta (1883-1953), invited the Irish Jesuits to his vicariate. In October 1926, Frs George Byrne (1879-1962) and John Neary (1889-1983) left Dublin for Hong Kong, which became a Mission for the Irish Province. They were joined, in early 1927, by Fr Daniel Finn (1886-1936) from Australia and later by Frs Richard Gallagher (1887-1960), Patrick Joy (1892-1970) and Daniel MacDonald (1891-1957).

The initial work of the mission concentrated in Hong Kong, with some teaching in Canton and Macao. Their works involved: reviving the Catholic journal, ‘The Rock’; the opening of a hostel (Ricci Hall) for Chinese Catholic students at the University of Hong Kong (1929-); their involvement in the Regional Seminary, Aberdeen, Hong Kong (1931-1964), Wah Yan College, Hong Kong (1932-) and Wah Yan College, Kowloon (1952-). Some lecturing occurred in the university, in areas such as archaeology, education, engineering, and geography. In Canton, Frs Michael Saul (1884-1932) and Joseph McCullough (1892-1932) died from cholera. Hong Kong was under Japanese occupation 1941 - 1945. The Irish Jesuits organised a school for refugees from Hong Kong in Macao and the Regional Seminary was also moved to Macao. Wah Yan College was closed in 1941 and reopened in 1945. Fr Thomas Ryan’s account “Jesuits under Fire in the siege of Hong Kong 1941” deals fully with this time.

After World War Two, the Irish Jesuits established a language school, student centre and parish in Canton. They were expelled by the Communists in [1953]. Wah Yan College grew and developed and further works included the foundation of a university hostel at Kingsmead Hall, Singapore and at Xavier Hall, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Other works of note that Irish Jesuits had a hand in establishing and running in Hong Kong include: the Hong Kong Housing Society (1938); Wah Yan Relief Association (1938); Shoeshine Boys Club (1952-1962); the Credit Union Movement (1962); Rehabilitation Centre for the Handicapped (1962); Catholic Marriage Advisory Council (1963); Road Safety Association for Schools (1964); Industrial Relations Institute (1968); Chinese Opera in English (1960s); Fisherman’s Children School (1960s) and Welfare for Police in the Training School. In 1966, Hong Kong became a Jesuit Vice-Province and in 1985, the Province of Macau-Hong Kong was established. Today, Hong Kong is a unit within the Chinese Jesuit Province.

Over a hundred Irish Jesuits have served in Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Singapore - 30 of whom are buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Hong Kong and two in mainland China.

Letter from Irish Fr Provincial John Fahy SJ to Fr Aubrey Gwynn SJ concerning the newly founded ‘lectureship in Ancient History in U.C.D.’. ‘I feel that you will be very much disappointed when I ask you… to present yourself as a candidate; for I know that you wish to go to China. Do try to forgive me when I ask you to do something that pleases you less.’

Letters to the Irish Provincial on various matters. Includes letters concerning financial matters and;
– a complaint about an individual Jesuit with regard to his behaviour while conducting a retreat for nuns (See also ADMN/3/36);
– a draft deed of trust for the Father Delany Exhibition (See also ADMN/3/13);
– the health and financial affairs of various scholastics;
– the proposal for the establishment of a [school] at Tullabeg by the Society of Pious Missions;
– a conference of Jesuit Fathers in Chicago for the purpose of adopting a Provisional Constitution of the ‘Frequent Communion Guild’;
– requests for money from various individuals;
– the campaign to appoint a Catholic Director to the Board of Directors of the Clogher Valley Railway (the Society are shareholders in the Railway);
– the appointment of Jesuits to various offices;
– a petition to the British government ‘to show mercy to Roger Casement’;
– a proposed portrait of Archbishop Walsh by Sir John Lavery;
– a profit and loss account of the Irish Monthly for year ending 31 August 1914 (See also ADMN/3/20; 66; 67);
– the work of St. Joseph's Young Priests (See also ADMN/3/53);
– lists of locations of Retreats and names of priests giving Retreats for 1912 and 1913 (See also ADMN/3/36; 41);
– suggestions for Retreats given by Jesuits, by Dr Patrick Foley, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin (1896-1926) and memorandum on the scheme to establish a small lending library in Milltown Park for priests (See also ADMN/3/12; 38).