Lynch's School

Hardiman in his edition of O'Flaherty's Iar Connacht, gives the following extract from the report of a regal visitation to Galway in 1615:-

"Wee found in Galway a publique schoolmaster, named Lynch, placed there by the citizens, who had great numbers of schollers, not only out of that province but also out of the Pale and other parts, resorting to him. Wee had daily proof during our continuance in that City, how well his schollers profited under him, by the verses and orations which they presented us. Wee sent for that schoolmaster before us, and seriously advised him to conform to the religion established and not prevailing with out advices, we enjoyed him to forbear teaching; and I, the Chancellor (Thomas Jones) did take a recognizance of him and some others of his kinsmen in that city, in the sum of £400 sterl. To his mate, use, that from thenceforth he should forbeare to teach any more without the special license of the Lo. Deputy". Dr. Lynch in his History of Irish Bishops, referring to John O' Molony, Bishop of Killaloe in 1630, speaks of the school, "John having read Humanities in his native Province read Philosophy at Galway under Alexander Lynch to whose school had gathered a great number of young men from every quarter of Ireland. Within the memory of ourselves or of our fathers there was no school in Ireland in which the number of scholars was greater or classified in better order or trained in a fuller literary course or conducted with more exact discipline; in it the students by scholastic contents were constantly urged on to progress in their studies and by theatrical performances their confidence and courage were increased, but, alas Chancellor Jones damned the fountain from which flowed such great benefit to our nation..." The Rev. J. Rabbitte, S.J., writes, "A description of one of these schools at work in 1645 was written by Dury an English Purian, and has been preserved. He described the arrangement into classes, the competitions or camps, the preparing of verses and orations, the acting of plays etc., much as in Alexander's school in Galway."