THE IRISH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

New Zealand Tablet, 2 May 1912, Page 43

THE IRISH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

SOME FACTS ABOUT ITS WORKING

The agitation to establish a system of higher education in Ireland suitable to Uatholico-Nationalists lasted over sixty years —being formulated many years before the modern Home Rule movement (writes W. G. Ballon in the Edinburgh Catholic Herald). A remarkable feature of the University agitation was the interest the mass of the Irish people displayed in it from the time the ‘ demand ’ was included in the programme of the national: movement proper. For, previous to ; that date, the failure of Cardinal Newman’s great scheme had led to a general collapse of interest. It is, therefore, by no means difficult to believe that the policy and career of the new Irish University is receiving a larger measure of public attention than is usually bestowed on universities. Certainly, Trinity College never received this encouragement in all its long career. Although the beautiful buildings in College Green compel attention, to the Irishman Trinity is to-day a featureless institution. This may be regrettable, nevertheless it is a fact. If one comparison is permissible, it has been observed t,hat the quality of the ‘ National ’ student is undoubtedly better than that of. the undergraduate of Trinity. This is especially noticeable in the case of the medical and practical faculties.

The professors of the National University have also come into the limelight. They can be seen on the public platform as well as in the lecture halls, and several are engaging their talents in solving the many-sided problem of how to rebuild-their country. They acknowledge their responsibility. That, added to the fact that the National is an institution governed by the Irish people themselves makes it an object of tender regard, for an institution so governed is unique in Ireland. Not for 107 years had the Irish people the experience of controlling anything tangible. • For them, therefore, the establishment of a native-controlled university is regarded as a pleasant augury, and a preparation for the responsibilities that are to come. If I may venture another observation before describing a few of the more interesting aspects of the Irish University, I would say this: The Irish people shall always remember that it was the Liberals, not the Tories, who introduced and carried the University Bill, Year in, year out, Mr. Balfour used to express a wish for the solution of this problem, but just as, freely, expressed his intention of leaving it alone. Yet there were not wanting calculating counsellors who advised the Irish people to rely on the Tories, the so-called friends of Irish religious equality and to avoid the antiCatholic Nonconformists. Throughout these vicissitudes the outstanding fact remains that a year and a-half after their resumption of office saw the anti-religious Liberal Government introduce and carry a Bill setting up an Irish University, with the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin as Chancellor.

Facts and Figures, - • The National University consists of three constituent colleges (with an affiliated college), viz., the new. college to be established in Dublin, the college at Cork, and the college at Galway. The great ecclesiastical Seminary of Maynooth is the affiliated college. The colleges at Cork and Galway are the old Queen’s Colleges of the late Royal University. The old Queen’s College of Belfast is now the Queen’s Universityan institution separate and distinct from the National University, though founded by the same Act of Parliament. Now, while the branches at Cork and Galway are fairly well housed, the University and College at Dublin are obliged to content themselves for the time being with the buildings which were associated with the late Royal, and with those over which the Jesuit Fathers presided during the older regime By the Universities Act a sum of £150,000 has been allocated for the erection of a building in Dublin, Cork has also been granted £14,000, and Galway £6OOO for a like purpose. (The Belfast University has been

all owed; £60;000.) ■ . . It is likely that the ' site of the late Royal, round :Earlsfort: Terrace and Stephen’s Green South,, will be selected for the new buildings. With this object in view Lord Tveagh has generously presented.the Senate with a portion. of his own grounds.' Designs for the new buildings are about to =be invited from architects. . : ■' With regard to the subsidies, the .Dublin College has £32,000 per annum (the administration of the University: proper costs nearly £12,000) ; the college at Cork, £20,000; .and, University College, Galway. £12,000. (The; Belfast University; has £IB,OOO per annum.) These sums are much below those of Trinity College. More than that, the Archbishop of Dublin pointed out that the £82,000 was not all a fresh "grant, for it includes old grants to the extent of £35,103’ •Thus, the combined income of the two hew universities I£ > ( new )>P lus <£35,103 (old) —making a total of £82,000, as detailed above. ‘

-■•i • The Authorities.; , - A word as to the governing bodies. The Senate is the chief authority. - It consists of the ‘ Chancellor (the Archbishop of Dublin), the Vice-Chancellor (Sir C. Nixon, M.D.), the Pro-Vice-Chancellors (A. Anderson President of Galway Collegej B. Windle, President of Xork College; and D. Coffey, President of Dublin College), and thirty-three others drawn mostly, from the professions—the medical element slightly predomina*mg-< , The remaining authorities are the general Board or Studies, the Faculties, and Convocation. Each of the constituent colleges has a Governing Body,- an Academic Council, a Registrar, a Bursar, and a Librarian/ In addition to the funds conferred-by Act of Parliament the National is: beginning to receive practical support from the country at large. Endowments and Compulsory Irish. - _ Large private endowments go to supplement the Parliamentary incomes of all the older Universities in this respect therefore the new National will be handicapped for some years. The Belfast University already enjoys a considerable income accruing from the private endowments of the old Queen’s College. .Under the regime of the late Royal the colleges at Cork and Galway also enjoyed a few private endowments. Like -Belfast, they have retained these. But the late University College of Dublin, being merely a makeshift institution, worked at a loss by the Jesuit Fathers, failed to attract the support of University benefactors! he leading college of the National was obliged there•Zl°Z Z on lts new career with nothing supportM g /n P n ll amentar y j grant except the O’Curry Prize B ? t a new . departure has been made; The Irish County Councils were empowered to strike a rate for , the purpose of 'creating county scholarships University 3ll7 TI the n colle ?? s recognised by the National university. The Councils are now founding these alienable’ and already thirty-three such scholarships are tenable at the Dublin College, and a lesser number Galway and Cork. The Corporation of Dublin is also about to _ establish twenty-four scholarships. . But anv I rfclo ?T a " d C -° Unfcy Councils refused to endow Ir 4 ui he University Senate agreed to make the Irish language a compulsory subject for entrance examinations after 1913 . Even .. pending ... that date students who are not acquainted with Irish are obliged to attend a course of lectures on that subject and of q iHslf. h6^Se V6S . t 0 the satisfaction of the Professors

• Some Interesting Features. ■ ’ *■." y Each year the University offers for competition amongst graduates three travelling studentships, tenable for -three years and each of the annual value of £2OO " scienoe ’ (b) The ..University has eight faculties—viz y Art, philosophy, and sociology,. Celtic studies, science llw medicine, , engineering, and architect, ° and ' . i regard to the faculty of law. Previous to th„ establishment of the National University T Cathriio

~ was'obliged .•; to spend one year at the law school of Trinity before proceeding to "the King's Inns. Now, x however, thanks .chiefly to "the y efforts of Chief Baron Palles and Mr. Justice Barton .(a Protestant), a Catholic student can become a barrister independently of Trinity. . . ' - , " -'- As to Dublin College, the sections of the faculties that present most interest are: ; — (1) Educational science,' 'its'psychology,, theory ; and history; (2) politics, a science of; lively interest: and having for its .exponent the Kev. Professor Crpnin; (3) agriculture, a subject ■: of vast importance to Ireland.r It includes veterinary v hygiene, horticulture, •■ forestry, and economic • science ■as applied to agriculture; (4) public health; (5) "Celtic I archaeology and early Irish historytwo subjects about -which the Irish people possess only the most rudimen- ;; tary knowledge at present ;f (6) -accountancy, banking, "and, finance,; (7) commerce is in charge of, Professor Oldham, who has earned .quite a national reputation i already. • But perhaps the lectures which attract the largest measure of attention are those on (8) The National Economics of Ireland, of which Mr. T. Kettle, | ex-M.P., is the professor. '■ For a University chair the subject is altogether new;- Further, -it was absolutely needed. 'The professor introduces to the lecture-room those aspects .of the . Irish question which, from the . nature of the' case, could only be disconnectedly mentioned from Nationalist . platforms. In fact, outside i Nationalist platforms, the .National Economics of Ireland received no consideration at all. The course treats of agriculture, land tenure, the textile industry, brewing, distilling, shipbuilding, transit, trade, Free Trade, capital, labor, and public economics. It also includes the economic history of Ireland as : well .as current economic legislation from year to year. - .. "-'-'■'-'■- "'.' A Real University. ; _ .' Asked for an opinion on the outstanding feature or the, most promising aspect of the National University;

I could not answer off-hand. The days of universities may be numbered. But in Ireland there is room 'for a democratic; a•; Catholic, • and a National ' University such as the Irish people how possess. . One can appreciate , a long x withheld advantage. Perhaps then - the outstanding feature of the new university is , the fact that the mass of the Irish people are following its . career with almost .a , personal regard. With few ..exceptions the professors may be described as brilliant; ; all are interesting. Although the students are less demonstrative than : they were some years ago;: under the late Royal, their Nationalism goes unquestioned. ' The medical faculty, as-a result of its connection with the .famous Cecilia Street School, continues to be one of the brightest . stars. Societies flourish: the University life is genuine. The latter is a remarkable achievement.; for previous to the , establishment of the National hardly: three dozen .Irish Catholics could be found capable of defining the function of a real university, although.'.- we all knew, what a university should not be. • y Each year the number of university students grows. This year the figures for the Dublin College easily exgeed 700; Cork and Galway are also sound. It is to be remarked that there are close on one hundred Catholics in Queen’s University, Belfast—due, perhaps, to the foundation of a chair of scholastic philosophy there. Although without Parliamentary: recognition, the lectures on natural theology for Catholic students form one of the most interesting features of the Dublin College. ■