Galway Advertiser 1990/1990_10_11/GA_11101990_E1_002.pdf 

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This year, 1990, the Jesuits celebrate the 450th anniversary of the founding of their Order. Jesuits have had a long association with Ireland and with Galway. The first Jesuits to come to Ireland came in 1542 and spent six weeks on a fact-finding mission in Ulster. They were followed by Fr. David Wolfe, SJ. in 1561. Part of Fr. Wolfe's brief was the setting up of schools or colleges to raise the standard of education among clergy and laity. However, it was not possible for Fr. Wolfe to carry out this part of his brief owing to the unsettled state of the country at the time The third and most permanent Jesuit mission to Ireland was in 1598 and it was during this mission that members of the Society of Jesus came to Galway. There are famous Galway names like Birmingham, Lynch, Kirwan and Brown to be found in the early Jesuit annals, and there are still extant three Jesuit chalices dating back to the first half of the seventeenth century. According to tradition, the early Jesuit residence and school were in Abbeygate Street near the Four Corners, but, due to the vicissitudes of the times, the Jesuit domicile is marked on the 1651 Map of Galway as being in Middle Street, nearly half way between Buttermilk Lane and Cross Street. The first Jesuit school in Galway had a short history, as all priests, both regular and secular, were banished from the city by the Cromwellian forces in 1652. By 1658, however, two Jesuit fathers were back again in the city and in 1691 the Superior of the Irish Jesuit Mission, Fr. Patrick Lynch S.J., who had made Galway his headquarters, was able to tell the authorities in Rome of the disaster that had once again befallen the Irish Jesuits with the Williamite conquest. The following year the Jesuits were banished once more but by 1727 negotiations were in progress for the re-opening of the Galway residence. The Galway residence continued in existence until 1768 when it had to be closed down due to lack of manpower. Forty years elapsed between the Suppression of the Society of Jesus and the return of the restored Society to Ireland in 1814. It was not until 1859, however, at the invitation of the then bishop of the diocese, Dr. McEvilly, that the Jesuits returned to Galway. They were to acquire his residence "Prospect House" (standing at the top of the hill of the same name) as their home while they were given St. Patrick's Church for their use. Rooms were leased as class halls on the west side of Eyre Square. As the numbers seeking admission continued to increase, it was decided to build a new college and church at Sea Road. The college was opened in February 1862 and the Church was dedicated in 1863. An Annual Academy Day, a survival of the old Jesuit European tradition in education, and which was a display of knowledge acquired, was held in the early days of St. Ignatius College It was this system which placed St. Ignatius College on the map of Irish Catholic schools before the decade was out. In days to come St. Ignatius College was to give a good account of itself in the public examination system, and a proud list can be pointed to, of priests, men of business and professional men, who passed through its classrooms. The modern phase of

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Colaiste Iognaid began in 1929 with its being formally designated an "A" school in 1932. Its success was immediate even though the curriculum followed was traditional. From 1960 to 1967 the numbers of students rose steadily from 257 to 352 and with the advent of free education in 1967 there were over 400 pupils on the rolls. A new school building was occupied in the school year 1969-70 and the old building was given over to the BunScoil. With the economics of free education, the private Bun-Scoil of Colaiste Iognaid became the all-Irish national school ":Scoil Iognaid" now occupying its own building in Raleigh Row. By the late 1960's the initial enthusiasm for Irish as a medium of instruction had waned and Colaiste Iognaid, along with many other schools, was obliged to change the medium of instruction to English while retaining one allIrish form. 1974 Saw the the admission of girls to this previously all-male student body. The girls were admitted to the allIrish medium section only at first, but in 1984 were admitted to the English medium section as well. A comprehensive range of subjects is offered at Colaiste Iognaid. It presently houses 570 students, with a very high proportion of its past pupils going on to third

level education. To-morrow night in the Jesuit Church there will be a Mass of Celebration and Thanksgiving to mark the anniversary, the chief concelebrant will be Dr. Eamon Casey, Bishop of Galway, and it takes place at 7.30 p.m. All are welcome! l b honour this important anniversary, we have an interesting picture

of a Past Pupils Union annual dinner c. 1948. Front row: G. D. Naughton, Rev. Fr. W. Dargan (Rector), Dr. T. Walsh, Christy Kerin, N. O'Halloran. Second row: D. Kenny, M. McDonagh, J. C. O'Donnell, S. Ward, A. O Fearghail S.J., R. G. Emerson. Back row: T. F. O'Sullivan, P. D. Ryan.

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JESUITS
This year, 1990, the Jesuits celebrate the 450th anniversary of the founding of their order. A series of events have been planned worldwide to celebrate the occasion. The events continue into 1991 when Jesuits celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of their founder, S t Ignatius Loyola. Galway events include an opening Mass for the Centenaries at St. Ignatius Church, Sea Road tomorrow Friday at 7.30 p.m. Bishop Eamonn Casey will be chief concelebrant and Fr. Paul andrews SJ., Director of St. Declan's School, Dublin and a prominent Jesuit spokes man on education will give the homily. The Mayor of Galway will attend. " I t is a chance for Jesuits to express our gratitude to the people of Galway for the many ways they have supported us over the years here',' said Fr. Martin Curry S.J., Rector of the Jesuit Community at Sea Road. "Many Galway men have joined the Jesuits over the years',' added Fr. Curry, himself a native of the city.

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