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Two events in the 1790s with unlikely connections college. There was a strong anti clericalism Looking at historical events for the month of aspect to the . June I was struck by two main events which After much debate royal assent was granted on took place in the first week in the 1790s 5th June 1795 by George III. The first meeting which had a Maynooth connection and of the 21 Trustees took place on 24th June 1795 which were interconnected in themselves. with one item agreed — “That notices be These were the Royal Assent by George III published in the Newspapers that the Trustees for the establishment of the Royal College of will receive proposals for lands and buildings, St. Patrick on the 6th June 1795 and the in the vicinity of for the new Seminary, death of Lord Edward Fitzgerald who died in and that applications for that purpose be made Newgate Prison Dublin on the 4th June to Mr. Strange, Dr. Troy or Dr. Hussey”. A 1798. considerable number of proposals were examined. The Trustees chose Maynooth as the The origin of how St. Patrick’s College came most suitable. The 2nd was about has been widely researched and influential in this decision and the house of his publicised. In brief there were a number of steward John Stoyte was acquired along with factors that came together that saw its some acreage. The first ordinations took place Lord Edward Fitzgerald establishment. We can go back to the on 6th June 1800. 1763-1798 American Revolution and the thoughts expressed by in his famous Thomas Paine 1737-1809 Lord Edward Fitzgerald, the son of the 1st publication The Rights of Man which Duke of Leinster, and brother to the 2nd Duke, advocated that all men are equal by nature had taken part in the American Revolution on and before the law and were entitled to the British side and later supported the ideals Liberty, Property, Equality and Security. espoused by the Rights of Man. He had been to Ideas that subsequently informed the , met Thomas Paine and became a friend political upheaval culminating in the French follower of . Tone was inspired by Revolution (1789-1799). the writings of Thomas Paine and wanted to form an organization for political change, one Before the French Revolution there were 348 that was “A brotherhood uniting all Irishmen, Irish scholars and 17 masters in various high and low, catholic and protestant” So it was colleges in France of which 180 scholars that the Society of the United Irishmen was were in Paris in the College des Lombards established and the ill fated 1798 rebellion and Community Rue Cheval Vert. The came about. Lord Edward Fitzgerald, a remaining students were in Nantes, member of the organization was shot and Bordeaux, Douay, Toulouse and Lisle. The wounded, captured and imprisoned. He did total number of Irish students on the not receive medical help and died of his wound Theobald Wolfe Tone continent was 478 students and 27 masters. William Robert in Newgate Prison on 4th June 1798. 1763-1978 2nd Duke of Leinster (1749-1820) One of the arguments put forward for In exploring the links between the the establishment of the College by Irish June dates in 1790s in this narrative, bishops and other supporters was that there is a certain irony. The Irish scholars would pick up these establishment of St. Patrick’s College revolutionary ideas and bring them to at Maynooth was in part due to fear of . They pointed out that Irish revolutionary ideas being brought scholars “might be contaminated by the back by Irish students from the contagion of sedition and infidelity”… continent, and the person who and thus become “the means of actively brought back those introducing into this country the revolutionary ideas and acted on them pernicious maxims of a licentious was an aristocrat, whose brother, the philosophy” 2nd Duke of Leinster FitzGerald who Two men apprehending Lord Edward country house was Carton, helped to Fitzgerald at gunpoint. After the French Revolution it was also found the Catholic the case that foreign colleges had nearly Stoyte House, from Maynooth College seminary at Maynooth in 1795. all been closed, especially those in its Centenary History (1895) Susan Durack by Rev. John Healy Sources: Maynooth College its centenary history by Rev. John Healy (1895). France, another factor which added to Wikimedia commons (images). the case for the establishment of the

Maynooth University ranked 1st in Ireland for Reducing degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. Inequalities by THE Global Impact rankings 2021 THE University Impact Rankings cover how an institution embodies the SDGs in their internal practices, policies and procedures, “outreach” in society, and also their research Maynooth University (MU) has been ranked as Ireland’s leading activities. university and in the top 5% of universities globally (at number 32 out of 669 institutions) for its research on social inequalities, policies on discrimination Find out more at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/new-way-defining- and commitment to recruiting staff and students from under-represented groups (SDG 10 excellence-higher-education Reduced Inequalities). MU is in the top #201-300 universities in the world as ranked by Full results at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/rankings/impact/2021/overall THE University Impact Rankings 2021, which capture universities’ impact on society based on their success in delivering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals #THEGlobalImpact (SDGs). Over 1,000 institutions from 98 countries participated globally. Summary of the findings: Recognising MU’s commitment to progressing gender equality, MU was placed 2nd in SDG10 Reduced Inequalities ranked 32nd out of 669 Institutions (overall score of Ireland and 60th globally for SDG 5 - Gender Equality. This reflects our research on the 80.4%), 1st in Ireland; study of gender equality, policies on gender equality and commitment to recruiting and SDG5 Gender Equality ranked 60th out of 776 Institutions (overall score of 67.7%), promoting women. MU is joint first in Ireland for Quality Education (SDG 4) and ranked 2nd in Ireland; #101-200 globally for our contribution to early years and lifelong learning, pedagogy SDG4 Quality Education ranked 101-200 out of 966 research and our commitment to inclusive education. Institutions (overall score of 68.5%), =1st in Ireland. Overall for THE University Impact MU ranked 201- The UN 17 SDGs aim to achieve a better and a more sustainable future for all by 2030. 300 out of 1,115 institutions (overall score of The goals address global changes including poverty, inequality, climate, environmental 72.1%).