The Irish standard., 1907-04-13

Church property in France has served
to direct attention to the famous
college des Irlandais," the Alma Ma
ter Of so many Irish priests for over
a century. The question has been
raised by Mr.. Sheehy, M. P. in a
letter to the Dublin Freemans Jour-
nal, whether the Irish College is not
exempted by International law as Irish
property, from any of the legal es-
cheatment to which the French semin-
aries are being subjected. 1t has been
pointed out that it was specially rec
ognized as Irish property both by the
Revolutionary Government and by Ma
poleon. Some account of the vener-
able and historic institution, it's ORR
gin, career, vicissitudes, and the for
1ner occasions on which, this question
Of international law was raised will
be welcomed by our readers. -
Although the present College des
Irlandais was erected in the year 1875.
its origin dates from the sixteenth
century. In the year 1871. Father
John Lee, an Irish priest. arrived in
Paris with a band of Irish students.
exiles for their faith. This company
found a refuge in the College de Mon
taign, an ancient institution, celebrat-
ed among French colleges for its ex-
treme poverty, strict rule, and meager
diet. This choice of colleges was prob
ably dictated by the slender purses
of the Irish exiles. The students of
Montaign, despite their poverty and
simple life, were distinguished above
all the scholars of Paris for their pro-
found learning and brilliant theses.
so that in the year 1919 they held
three debates in philosophy, in which
the arguments were maintained on
both sides in the Greek languages. 1t
was in 1873 that the Irish students
first found a home in Montaign Col
lege, which they subsequently quilted
for the College of, Navarro at that
time the richest and most spacious col
lege attached to the University Of
Paris. This seminary was the favor
ite school of the French. nobility. Its
course of studies was the most COM
plete and it's professors the most cele-
brated in France. Here the Irish
exiles exchanged hard living and pow
erty for material advantages.
The Baron de Lescalopier. man
noted for charity, rented a house for
the Irish students in the QUARTER st.
Germain, Rue de Sewers, in 1647. The
advanced ecclesiastical students were
transferred to this establishment, and
1t seems likely that the others entered
the Navarro College at about the same
time. The munifcent baron proposed
to found a college for the Irish with a
hxed revenue. but death checked the
accomplishment of his design.
In the year 1917 two Irish priests,
Malachy Kelly and Patrick .Maginn.
received permission from Louis XIV.
to take possession Of the dilapidated
buildings of the College des Lombards,
as home for the Irish students, who
were continually arriving in Paris.
lie Grand Monarques'' probably
desired to thus recognize the valuable
services Of the Irish soldiers who
abounded in his army. With the as.
sistance of Irish and French friends
the old college was rebuilt. and a cha
pei added. This was the first regular
college the Irish possessed, and for
over hundred years remained the
training ground of Irish ecclesiastics,
throughout the darkest period of the
Penal Days.
1t was in the year 1916 that the
present institution was erected. At
that time one hundred priests and six
ty ecclesiastical students were housed
In the Lombard College, number
much too large for the limited ac-
(,