Birmingham age-herald., 1895-05-19

monarch who disputed the pope's su- premacy, and with what success the wrecked ruins of Maynooth castle in the accompanying cut tell it's own eloquent but silent story. The other historic re- hinder was Carton, the palatial birth place of another Fitzgerald-Lord Ed ward-who was the son of the college donor and the leader of the United Irish men. This kinsman and successor of Silken Thomas was also the chief cause of the existence of the college. for if the United Irishmen had not threatened the nation parliament would aSSuredly not have voted the endowment in 1795, or confirmed and augmented it in later years. But difficulty in the matters of loyalty and of discipline was not the only source of anxiety the college authorities had to contend with. Every year the estima tes had to be passed upon by the British parliament, and for the first three-quarterS of a century of it's eX- istence the date upon which the May nooth grant" would come up for discus sion was a regular field day in parlia- ment, which ldrew out not only the choicest spirits of debate, but the most acrimonious sentiments of party and re- ligiouS passions. The government of the day, whether it was whig ministry un- der Lord PalmerSton, or tory under Lord Stanley, invariably supported the Cath ollie claim and justified the grant, while the strong Protestant sentiment of Eng
 
 leanings of the students toward revolt or toward the agitations upon the plat form in which they were the chief lead CTS when they became pastors and guides of the people.
 While the college was literally en- dowed, the grant for it's sustenance was thus constantly threatened, and was fre- quently passed by only Shaky or slender majorities in parliament. But for over twenty years the objections to the May !. 1 t..r. parties, Catholic and Protestant, are agreed that the ideas of the Maynooth founders were wise and necessary; that the annual output of $40 students is alike creditable to the educational resources and the patriotic inspirations of Ireland, and that this great and historic institu ton has filled useful end and deserves a warm place in the hearts and affec- tions of Irishmen.
 Its Traditions Disappeared.
 The traditions against which the col lege had to make headway have disap- peared. Despite all opposition, it has won it's place. From the limits of a scant aud utterly inadequate concession a century ago. it has grown to huge pro- portions. The culture and caliber of it's students have enlarged in proportion to the facilities for their training. And now when it's scattered alumni see Maynooth college proudly enters upon it's second century, it will be all the dearer to them because Of the trMmphS over the past Many a veteran will recall the romantic scenes associated with the Geraldines and with Sarsfield and think over those happy hours of exercise when between calls for classes they talked over their country's struggles, and when vigorously confined to sober and severe stuies and shut out from newspapers, their only hints of the activities of the secular world were gleaned from an obllging att tendant or from the gossipy driver of the jaunting car who took them at vacation time to the railroad station.