History
Maynooth College was founded in 1795 as a seminary for the education of priests. It was urgently needed at the time because due to the Penal Laws, it had not been possible to educate Catholic priests in Ireland for two centuries. This meant that there was a shortage of Catholic priests in Ireland.
Land to develop the College in Maynooth was granted by the Duke of Leinster. The College opened in a house built by a man called John Stoyte. This building is still standing and is still known as 'Stoyte House'.
The college quickly expanded as students flocked in. Extensions were built to accommodate students and staff. Finding staff to teach and manage the college was difficult as Maynooth was the first seminary to be set up in Ireland. However, many priests, both Irish and French, were fleeing France at the time and found refuge in the new college at Maynooth.
During the 1800s, the college continued to expand and many famous architects of the time were employed to create new buildings. There were up to six hundred students at the college at any one time, all studying to be priests. Click on the image to get a bird's-eye view of Maynooth College in 1895.
Until 1910, students studied subjects which would be directly related to their work as priests. However, in 1910, new departments opened which taught other subjects like science and languages.
In 1966, the first students who were not studying for the priesthood entered the college. These days, St. Patrick's College Maynooth refers to the college where priests still train and study. The National University of Ireland, Maynooth, is attended by students who are not training for the priesthood or doing religious studies.