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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 July 2017
This paper explores the persistence of ecclesiastical influence on higher education in Ireland during an era of far-reaching policy change in the 1960s. The extensive interaction between political and official elites and the Catholic bishops offers a fascinating insight into the complex and contested process of policy formulation during an era of transformation in higher education. This study offers a re-interpretation of Whyte’s thesis that the Irish bishops displayed a ‘new flexibility’ in their response to governmental policy initiatives during this period, especially the initiative for university merger launched by Donogh O’Malley in 1967. Catholic prelates, notably John Charles McQuaid, the influential archbishop of Dublin, were pursuing a traditional Catholic religious and socio-political agenda in higher education, which sought not so much to accommodate new official initiatives as to shape such reforms in the ideological direction favoured by the bishops. McQuaid in particular enjoyed exceptional access to policy-makers and was an indispensable partner in launching the initiative for the university merger. The eventual failure of the merger, which was influenced by the successful resistance of academic elites and the declining significance of religious divisions in higher education, underlined the limits of ecclesiastical power in a rapidly changing society.
1 John Walsh, The politics of expansion: the transformation of educational policy in the Republic of Ireland, 1957–72 (Manchester, 2009), pp 1–4.
2 J. H. Whyte, Church and state in modern Ireland (2nd ed., Dublin, 1980), pp 337–43.
3 Ibid., pp 341–3.
4 John Walsh, ‘“The problem of Trinity College Dublin”: a historical perspective on rationalisation in higher education in Ireland’ in Irish Educational Studies, xxxiii, no. 1 (2014), pp 3–4.
5 William J. Rigney, ‘Bartholomew Woodlock and the Catholic University of Ireland, 1861–79’ (Ph.D. thesis, U.C.D., 1995), p. 12.
6 George Conroy to Paul Cardinal Cullen, 20 March 1873 (Dublin Diocesan Archives (hereafter D.D.A.), Cullen papers, 335/4/I/65); Gilhooley to Cullen, 21 March 1873 (D.D.A., Cullen papers, 335/4/I/66).
7 James Lydon, ‘“The silent sister”: Trinity College Dublin and Catholic Ireland’ in C. H. Holland (ed.), Trinity College Dublin and the idea of a university (Dublin, 1992), p. 39.
8 John Walsh, ‘Éamon de Valera, 1921–1975’ in Tom Dunne et al. (eds), The National University of Ireland, 1908–2008 (Dublin, 2008), pp 135–45.
9 Ibid.
10 Whyte, Church and state, pp 158–61.
11 ‘Report made to the Board of Trinity College on February 20 1947 by the Provost and Registrar’ (T.C.D., MUN V/6/7, companion vol. 6, p. 1).
12 Irish Independent, 31 May 1949; Maynooth had not received any state grant since the abolition of its parliamentary grant in 1869 but the college secured exchequer support from the first inter-party government in November 1950.
13 Ibid.; Irish Times, 31 May 1949.
14 James Lydon, ‘“The silent sister”’, pp 39–42.
15 McQuaid to the Convent of the Holy Child, Killacoona, Killiney, 14 Dec. 1967 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, XVIII/38A/10).
16 J. V. Luce, Trinity College Dublin: the first 400 years (Dublin, 1992), p. 183.
17 Ibid., p. 196.
18 McQuaid to U.S. cardinals and archbishops, 25 Mar. 1960 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, XVIII/38/200/6).
19 John Walsh, The politics of expansion, pp 323–4; idem, ‘Ministers, bishops and the changing balance of power in Irish education, 1950–70’ in I.H.S., xxxviii, no. 149 (May 2012), pp 108–27.
20 Seán O’Connor, A troubled sky: reflections on the Irish educational scene, 1957–1968 (Dublin, 1986), p. 46.
21 Irish Times, 28 Mar. 1958.
22 Irish Press, 24 June 1958.
23 Report of the commission on accommodation needs of the constituent colleges of the National University of Ireland (Dublin, 1959), pp 47–8.
24 Decision slip, ‘Commission on accommodation needs of university colleges: terms of reference’, 14 Mar. 1958 (N.A.I., D/T S.16289).
25 Dáil Éireann deb., clxxx, 940–1 (23 Mar. 1960).
26 McQuaid to Patrick Hillery, 24 Mar. 1960 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, XVIII/38/200/3).
27 McQuaid to Tarlach Ó Raifeartaigh, 24 Mar. 1960 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, XVIII/38/200/1).
28 Ó Raifeartaigh to McQuaid, 24 Mar. 1960 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, XVIII/38/200/2).
29 Report of the Commission on Higher Education (Dublin, 1967), pp 1–2.
30 Ibid., pp 47–51.
31 Ibid., p. 444.
32 John Walsh, ‘“The problem of Trinity College Dublin”’, pp 3–4. This piece is the most recent detailed exploration of the university merger.
33 Dáil Éireann deb., clxxx, 966–78 (23 Mar. 1960).
34 Department of Education memorandum, ‘The problem of Trinity College Dublin’, 15 Dec. 1966 (N.A.I., D/T 98/6/195, pp 1–3).
35 Ibid., p. 1.
36 McQuaid, ‘T.C.D. and the Ministry – At Occasional functions in the autumn of 1966’ (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, ABXVIII/38/212A/1). Franz Winkelman was the treasurer of Trinity College from 1962.
37 ‘The problem of Trinity College Dublin’, p. 2.
38 Department of Education memorandum, 9 March 1967 (N.A.I., D/T 98/6/195, p. 1).
39 ‘The problem of Trinity College Dublin’, pp 11–12.
40 Ibid., p. 23.
41 McQuaid, ‘T.C.D. and the Ministry’, p. 1.
42 Ibid.
43 McQuaid, ‘Memorandum to the bishops’, 18–19 Sept. 1968 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, AB8/B/XXXIV).
44 McQuaid, ‘T.C.D. and the Ministry’, p. 2.
45 Ibid., p. 3.
46 Ibid., p. 2.
47 Ibid.
48 Ibid.
49 Ibid., p. 4.
50 Ibid.
51 Ibid.
52 Ó Raifeartaigh to McQuaid, 17 Apr. 1967 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, AB XVIII/38/212A/2).
53 Donogh O’Malley, ‘University education in Dublin: statement of minister for education – 18 April 1967’ in Studies, lvi, no. 2 (Summer 1967), p. 113.
54 Ibid., p. 118.
55 Ibid., pp 121–2.
56 McQuaid, ‘T.C.D. and the Ministry’.
57 Ibid.
58 Birch to McQuaid, 22 Apr. 1967 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, XVIII/38/212a/7).
59 M. D. McCarthy, ‘The university situation in Dublin’, n.d. (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, AB8/B/XXXIV – Universities: U.C.D.–T.C.D. merger).
60 ‘The problem of Trinity College Dublin’, p. 10.
61 McQuaid. ‘Personal notes’ (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, AB8/B/XXXIV, pp 1–2). The meeting was attended by McQuaid, William Philbin (Down and Connor), Michael Browne (Galway) and Cornelius Lucey (Cork) – the same group as the meeting in November.
62 Ibid., p. 2.
63 Ibid., p. 2.
64 The pastoral letters and other writings of Cardinal Cullen, ed. Patrick Moran (3 vols, Dublin, 1882), i, 31.
65 McQuaid, ‘Memorandum to the bishops’, 18–19 Sept. 1968.
66 Ibid.
67 McQuaid to Ó Raifeartaigh, 11 June 1967 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, XVIII/38/212a/11).
68 Ó Raifeartaigh, ‘Towards a satisfactory outcome of the forthcoming negotiations on the U.C.D.–T.C.D. Merger’, 10 Apr. 1968 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, XVIII/38A/18/2).
69 Louise Fuller, Irish Catholicism since 1950: the undoing of a culture (Dublin, 2002), pp 187–8.
70 Irish Press, 19 Apr. 1967.
71 ‘Amalgamation of Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin’ (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, XVIII/38A/1–25).
72 Irish Times, 19 Apr. 1967.
73 Ibid.
74 Ibid.
75 T. W. Moody, ‘Comment’ in Studies, lvi, no. 2 (Summer 1967), pp 173–5.
76 Philbin to McQuaid, 23 Feb. 1968 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, AB8/XVIII/38A/24).
77 McQuaid to Hogan, 28 Sept. 1968 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, AB8/B/XXXIV).
78 McQuaid, ‘Memorandum to the bishops’, 18–19 Sept. 1968.
79 Ibid.
80 James Meenan, ‘The university in Dublin’ in Studies, lvii, no.3 (Autumn 1968), p. 317.
81 McQuaid, ‘Memorandum to the bishops’, 18–19 Sept. 1968.
82 Ibid.
83 Ibid.
84 Hogan to Lenihan, 17 Sept. 1968 (D.D.A., McQuaid papers, AB8/B/XXXIV).
85 Memorandum, ‘The Case for University College Dublin’ (N.A.I., D/T/2000/6/655, S.18347B, p. 15).
86 Meenan, ‘The university in Dublin’, pp 314–15.
87 McQuaid, ‘Memorandum to the bishops’, 18–19 Sept. 1968.
88 H.E.A., Report to the minister for education on university reorganisation (Dublin, 1972), pp 83–7.
89 John Walsh, ‘“The problem of Trinity College Dublin”’, pp 5–19. This article offers greater detail on the collaboration envisaged in the N.U.I./T.C.D. agreement and the very limited collaboration which ultimately ensued.
90 H.E.A., University reorganisation, p. 59.
91 Interview with Martin O’Donoghue (10 Jan. 2005).
92 Fuller, Irish Catholicism since 1950, pp 201–4.
93 Ó Raifeartaigh, ‘Briefing note, meeting of the Taoiseach with the N.U.I. Senate deputation on Thursday, 6 February 1969’ (N.A.I., D/T/2000/6/655, S.18347B, pp 2–3); Luce, Trinity College Dublin, p. 197; F. S. L. Lyons, Ireland since the Famine (London, 1973), p. 655.
94 Minutes, General meeting of the Irish hierarchy, 22–24 June 1970 (D.D.A., AB8/B/XV/b/07, p. 5); Fuller, Irish Catholicism, p. 188.
95 Fuller, Irish Catholicism, p. 188.
96 Whyte, Church and state, p. 17.
97 We wish to express our thanks and sincere appreciation to the archivist Ms Noelle Dowling, and the staff of the Dublin Diocesan Archives, for their help and support in accessing the McQuaid papers.
