The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-19
EDUCATION IN IRELAND.

| Inc late cardinal WlSeman, In cnarlJy
sermon preached by him in what was then the
Moorneds Roman Catholic Chapel. in 1s4s. for
the benefit OF the schools attached to the parish,
said that the CHI rch considered that it might
be far happier for mankind II they were per-
mitted to remain in that condition of peaceful
reliance on the Church Of God which prevailed
during those ages which had given to her
calendar nearly all its brightest saints. without
| having their minds unsteadied and even their
| faith shaken by those sophsms which were
| the spawn OF n diseased appetite for education.
| and a foverish pursuit OF science. uncontrolled
| and undrected by religion. But as tho school
master was abroad, and the sects were
erecting schools in which education was dis
severed from religion or at least the Bible let
| loose on the young and ignorant without
| authorized note or comment. It had become n
necessity to establish Catholic schools in which
secular and religious education should be COM
bined. and thus enable Catholics to give n
reason for the faith that was in them. and enter
with equal weapons upon the battle OF life.
When the National System Of education was
introduced into Ireland in 1881 by the late
| Lord Derby, then Mr.. Stanley Chief Secretary
| for Ireland. the country was flooded with tho
schools Of societies. like that known rs the Kill
dare Street Society. which under the preence
| of education were mere agencies OF proselyt-
ism Their omssaries came. proving upon tho
poverty Of the people and their hunger for that
| knowledge so long forbidden TO them by law.
with the Bible in one hand and bread in the
other. But this effort to Protestantze Ireland
failed. and until the era OF the National System.
the Irish were without any education. savet those
snatches of confused learning caught in the
hedge schools. Yet when the National System.
MS liberal measure Of education as could be
hoped for from n Legislature alien to the reli-
| gion and the feelings OF the Irish people. was
introduced it encountered fierce opposition at
the hands Of DR.. MclIale. tho great Archbishop
OF the West. and large body Of bishops and
priests. covered by the breadth Of OConnell's
| shield on one side. and at the hands of the ex-
treme Protestant party. headed by DAILY. after
ward Bishop Of Cashel. on the other.
These two extreme parties thunderod against
this first experiment in purely secular educa-
ton. though opportunity was afforded to the
pupils OF each religious persuasion to receive
separately. at appointed times. such religious
instruction by clergymen or others rs their
parents might approve. Still the new system
| found strength in the calm support OF DIR.
| Murray. the Catholic Archbishop OF Dub
| lin. who was to McHale. in the many fierce
conflicts which followed. what Fenelon had
! been TO Bossuet In the Church controversies OF
| France. Supported by the eastern and most Of
| the southern Bishops. and by the entire body OF
the Roman Catholic gentry. he consented to
serve on the Board. which was largely Catholic.
! The system has succeeded beyond expectation.
In districts where Roman Catholics prevail in
number. it is virtually under the direction OF
that Church. and it is now encouraged in most.
acquiesced in in ALL OF the Roman Catholic do
ceses. except the archiepiscopal one Of Tuam.
! into which DR.. McHale. adhering with immov-
able ohstnacy 10 what is doubtless tho strict
doctrine % his Church. forbids its entrance
As he is So years old and as his selected sue
cessor. DR.. McEvlly, the present Bishop Of
| Galway. is n supporter Of the National System
its universal prevalence lie now only question
OF few years Az the present moment it num-
bers nearly 5000 schools. which are attended
by million two hundred and fifty thousand
pupils OF whom more than million are Roman
| Catholics.
But this system simply provided for peasant
| education. A plan had TO be devised for the
education oftho middle aud higher classes also.
and here tho difficulty of reconciling the Ro-
man Catholic Church 10 q purely secular sys-
! TEN became greater. The University OF Dublin.
incorporated by Elizabeth In 1891. as the
mother OF university" and placed on the site
OF the dissolved Roman Catholic monastery Of
| All Hal,ows in Higgins is rich in wealth. as
was the now dismantled established church OF
which It was n feeder. but 1t is the university OF
n sect and not Of people 1t possesses 100000
acres Of landed estates. yielding n large rove
nue.. lis income is about fG5OOO year. 1t
possesses library OF 100000 volumes. yearly
increased by 1900 under the copyright act
many hundred manuscripts OF rare value. a
botanical garden. and museum. But while since
1893 when Thomas Moore. the national poet,
made one OF the first batch admitted. Roman
Catholics had been allowed TO enter and take
degrees they were excluded from holding
either fellowships. scholarships. or STAR
ships or enjoying any Of the omoluments OF the
institution. Sir Robert Peel attempted 10 crap
pie with this Irish difficulty. and heal this sore
not by touching the existing university. as Mr..
Gladstone boldly attempted to do few years
ago. but by establishing new colleges on the
principle which had worked so well in the
measure Of national education. Charters were
granted in ls49 to three colleges. called Queen 8
colleges. at Belfast. Cork. and Gaway. and these
charters were amended in 1868. In 1850 uni
versity called the Queens University in Ire
land was founded. the government OF which
was vested in Senate consisting OF the Chan
ccor-at present the Duke OF Leinster-and
twenty-iour Senators-three. the Presidents OF
the three colleges. OK -oflcio. six elected by con-
vocation and the rest nominated by the Crown,
Power was given to grant degrees in the fac
uties OF law. medic inc. surgery. and engineer
ing. and examinations are held yearly similar
TO the assocate-in-art examinations at tho Uni
vorsity Of oxford.
The Queens colleges however. encountered
the united and determined opposition OF tho
Roman Catholic hierarchy and OF O'Connell
who stiGmatized them as the goddess col
leges - and though every attempt was made to
win support and pledges Of good faith in their
foundation. given by the appointment OF tho
Rev DR.. Henry. distinguished Presbyterian
Clergyman. TO the Presidency Of Belfast. whore
tho Presbyterian element was likely 10 pre-
ponderate and OF Sir Robert Kane. n distin-
Euished Roman Catholic man Of science and
tho Rev. DR.. Kirwan. an eminent Roman Gath
Ollie priest to those Of Cork aud Galway. where
tho Catholic element might be expected to pre-
vail the colleges were from the first. and are Al
the present hour. melancholy failures. The
whole number OF Roman Catholic pupils last
year. matriculated and non matriculated. at the
three colleges was ninety! The grant voted in
1878 was Gl2 504. in addition to G21 200 charged
on the Consolidated Fund. The grant for the
university in the Same YEAR was Ct g64