The Irish standard., 1894-12-08
A NOTED COLLEGE.
Brilliant Career of the Alma Mater
of the Irish Priesthood,
MaynoOth.
AN HISTORIC INSTITUTION.
Now Successfully Rounding Out
the Hundreth Year Of It's
Establishment.

Inc hunOI6CQ ear Oh 4L9
Establishment.
The centenary of Maynooth College
the famous Irish University, which takes
place in June next, forms the subject Of
an interesting article by j. J. Clancy,
secretary of the centenary committee, in
the Irish Ecclesiastical Record. Mr.
Clancy writes as follows:
At the time at which Maynooth Col
lege was founded, Irish ecclesiastics, de-
MED education in their own country,
were obliged, often at the risk Of their
lives, to seek in the colleges and univer
stiles of the continent the knowledge re-
quisite for the discharge of the pastoral
Office. But with the last decade OF the
eighteenth century new ideas began to
come into vogue. The great Democratic
upheaval on the continent of Europe;
the far-reaching consequences OF the
Volunteer movement at home; the pre-
valence of what were commonly known
as "French principles" and the danger of
their being imported into this country by
ecclesiastics educated abroad-these
combined influences moved the Legisla
ture of Ireland to regard Catholics with
more consideration than hitherto and
forced them to the conclusion that toler-
alton is preferable to repression, un
shackled education at home wiser pol
icy than foreign training which en-
bodied elements that, as some thought.
might easily prove subversive of the
safety of the state. While on this ac-
count the government of the country was
not unwilling to listen to overtures ou
the question of establishing some system
OF ecclesiastical education in Ireland, the
bishops Of the country, on the other
hand, were prepared to avail themselves
at the first favorable opportunity for ad-
vancing the same project. During the
progress of the revolution in France,
many ecclesiastical colleges on the corti
nent were closed, and, IN consequence
there was extreme danger that recruits
for missionary work in Ireland would
soon disappear altogether. Both sides
entertained apprehensions we'll founded
or otherwise; and hence, when DR.. Troy,
acting on the part of his brethren of the
hierarchy, approached the Earl OF West
moreland, the then lord lieutenant of Ire
lanl, with memorial petitioning for
permission to establish and endow ma.
tional college for the education of eccle-
siastics, be was listened to with willing
ear. This was early in 1904. During
the course of that year a heightened cor
respondence passed between Burke and
Grattan on the subject, and the great
philosopher threw himself into the pro
ject with all the we'll known enthusiasm
of his Celtic nature. Convinced OF the
necessity of dealing with the subject in
the most cautious manner, he urged DR..
Hussey, then chaplain to the Spanish
embassy in London, and one OF the most
successful diplomatists Of his time, to
proceed to Dublin at once and assist in
forwarding the scheme. With the acces
Sou of Lord Fitzwilliam to power, in the
spring Of 1895, the prospect seemed to
brighten, for in his mind the policy OF
Catholic education was only portion OF
the larger measure of Catholic emanci-
patton. In this, however, the country.
was doomed to bitter disappointment.
Lord Fitzvilliam was recalled q. few
months subsequently to his accession to
power, and with him disappeared for
more than thirty years the hopes OF Sc
curing an adequate measure of rights for
the Catholics of Ireland. But the scheme
of Catholic education remained.
Lord Camden assumed the reins OF
power on the removal of Lord Fitzwilliam,
and at once expressed his determination
to push. forward the project OF establish
ing an ecclesiastical college for the edu-
cation of the Irish priesthood.
Accordingly on April d following the
Irish government introduced bill de-
signed to make provision .for the bet
ter education of persons processing the
Popish or Roman Catholic religion" On
May l3 the measure passed the House OF
Lords without change, and on june
following received the royal assent and
became. law. In virtue OF this 'eact Of
incorporation as it was called, body OF
trustees was appointed, consisting OF the
then lord chancellor Of Ireland. the then
lord chief justice 6f the Kings bench,
the chief Justice. Of the common pleas
and the chief baron of the exchequer,
nix Roman Catholic layniien, the four
Roman Oatholic arohbiahops and seven ea1
other Roman C,atholic eocles iastics 81 and ,'',t