page_title: St Patrick's College, Maynooth
hierarchical_section_title: St Patrick's College, Maynooth
caption_attribution_description: English: St Patricks from St Joseph's Square
context_page_description: St Patrick's College, Maynooth, is the "National Seminary for Ireland", and a Pontifical University, located in the town of Maynooth, 24 km from Dublin, Ireland.
  The college and seminary are often referred to as Maynooth College. The college was officially established as the Royal College of St Patrick by Maynooth College Act 1795. Thomas Pelham, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, introduced a Bill for the foundation of a Catholic college, and this was enacted by Parliament. It was opened to train 500 Catholic priests every year, and was once the largest seminary in the world.
  In the final decades of the 20th century, and early 21st century, the seminary intake has been decreasing in line with the wider fall in vocations across the Western developed world, with a record low in 2017 of six first year seminarians. This fall was due, in part, to the decision of the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, to transfer Dublin seminarians to the Irish College in Rome.
  Degrees are awarded by the Pontifical University at Maynooth, which was established by a pontifical charter of 1896. The Pontifical charter entitles the university to grant degrees in canon law, philosophy and theology.
context_section_description: St Patrick's College, Maynooth (Irish: Coláiste Naoimh Phádraig, Maigh Nuad), is the "National Seminary for Ireland" (a Roman Catholic college), and a Pontifical University, located in the town of Maynooth, 24 km (15 mi) from Dublin, Ireland.
  The college and seminary are often referred to as Maynooth College. The college was officially established as the Royal College of St Patrick by Maynooth College Act 1795.  Thomas Pelham, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, introduced a Bill for the foundation of a Catholic college, and this was enacted by Parliament.  It was opened to train 500 Catholic priests every year, and was once the largest seminary in the world.
  In the final decades of the 20th century, and early 21st century, the seminary intake has been decreasing in line with the wider fall in vocations across the Western developed world, with a record low in 2017 of six first year seminarians. This fall was due, in part, to the decision of the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, to transfer Dublin seminarians to the Irish College in Rome.
  Degrees are awarded by the Pontifical University at Maynooth, which was established by a pontifical charter of 1896. The Pontifical charter entitles the university to grant degrees in canon law, philosophy and theology.
  The college is associated with the separate Maynooth University, with whom it shares an historic campus, and certain facilities.
caption: View of St Joseph's Square
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