Maynooth, in rural County Kildare, is located fifteen miles from the Dublin city center. Maynooth is home to an Ecclesiastical Museum, located on the College grounds, which contains an interesting collection of ecclesiastical works of art and antiquities. The present St. Patrick's College campus was founded in 1795. An earlier college in Maynooth dates back to 1518. Since 1966, the College has been open to lay students of arts, sciences, philosophy, Celtic studies and theology.
Anthropology is a field given special emphasis at the college.
St. Patrick's College currently has a student body of about 2,500. The University of Limerick was established in 1972 on a 160 acre campus on the banks of the river Shannon three miles from Limerick City. The first phase of construction was completed in 1975, and accommodates some 3,000 students. Construction of the second phase, designed to double the capacity, was completed in 1985. Additional land surrounding the original campus has been integrated to create the Plassey Technological Park on some 500 acres.