Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1852-2020 (Creation)
Level of description
Subfonds
Extent and medium
18 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
Mungret College, situated 3 miles west of Limerick City, was a Jesuit apostolic school (1882-1967), and a lay secondary school (1882-1974). It had previously been an agricultural college (1858-1878), and a Limerick diocesan seminary (1882-1888).
Taken from a Mungret College prospectus (c.1970): ‘Situated on the south bank of the Shannon some three miles south-west of Limerick, the College stands on the hallowed ground where, from the sixth to the twelfth century, flourished one of Ireland's most famous schools of learning-the Monastery of Mungret. There is a strong tradition that St. Nessan was its founder and first Abbot. The property was acquired by the Society of Jesus in 1882, and opened as a College in that year. From 1887 to the passing of the Irish Universities Act in 1908, candidates for the B.A. and M.A. Degrees of the Royal University took their lectures in the College.’
Rectors of Mungret College, Limerick
1882-85: William Ronan
1885-88: Jean-Baptist René
1888-91: Thomas Head
1891-1900: Vincent Byrne
1900-03: William Henry
1903-05: William Sutton
1905-08: Thomas Nolan
1908-12: Nicholas J Tomkin
1912-13: Patrick Tighe
1913-16: Edward Cahill
1916-20: James Corboy
1920-Feb.1922: John Fahy
Feb.-July 1922: John Joy
1922-27: George Roche
1927-31:Laurence Kieran
1931-36: Edward Dillon
1936-41: Joseph O'Connor
1941-47: Jeremiah Kelly
1947-50: Brian McMahon
1950-56: Francis Joy
1956-62: Gerard Perrott
1962-68: John Kerr
1968-71: Senan Timoney
1971-74: Patrick Cusack
Superiors of the Apostolic School
1882-88: Jean-Baptist René
1888-91: Thomas Head
1891-94: Vincent Byrne
1894-95: Joseph McDonnell
1895-1900: James Forristal
1900-04: Joseph McDonnell
1904-1913: Edward Cahill
1913-1919: James Tomkin
1919-20: John Fahy
1920-21: Augustine O'Kelly
1921-23: Edward Cahill
1923-May 1926: Patrick McCurtin
May-Jul 1926: Laurence Potter
1926-41: Jeremiah Kelly
1941-55: John Kelly
1955-May 1957: Daniel McDonald
May-Jun 1957: Francis Joy
1957-59: Brendan Barry
1959-67: Redmond Roche
1967-68: John Kerr
1968-71: Senan Timoney
1971-74: Patrick Cusack
Repository
Archival history
Material moved from Mungret College in 1974.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited at the Irish Jesuit Archives from the Irish Jesuit Provincialate (2000-2010).
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The papers provide an insight into the daily workings of the Mungret College, as well as the Jesuit community who resided there. The bulk of material relates to correspondence, deeds, leases, minutes, account books, custom books, photographs, diaries and journals. Includes reference to:
- the establishment of Mungret College in 1882 (including references to the Mungret Model Farm and school), purchase of the site and deeds;
- correspondence between Lord Emly, Tervoe, (1812-1894), Limerick and Fr William Ronan SJ (1825-1907) concerning Mungret;
- Fr William Ronan SJ (1825-1907) - biographical information, letters to Irish Fr Provincial on establishment of Mungret (1880-1882), fund-raising Tour (1882-1893), letters written by Fr Ronan SJ (1882-1896);
- lists, registers, catalogues and results of students to the Apostolic and Lay school;
- accounts for Mungret College (1882-1928);
Fr Thomas Morrissey SJ has researched the history of Mungret College and his research notes are included in the papers.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
All items retained permanently.
Accruals
System of arrangement
Material was catalogued in 2000 and 2008.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
The Irish Jesuit Archives are open only to bona fide researchers. Access by advance appointment. Further details: [email protected]
Conditions governing reproduction
No material may be reproduced without the written permission of the Archivist. Copyright restrictions apply. Photocopying is not available. Digital photography is at the discretion of the Archivist.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Irish Jesuit Directory and Year Book, 1932.
Publication note
Spillane, Milo. ‘Mungret Agricultural School’ taken from The Old Limerick Journal, Spring Edition 1981, Vol. 6.
Publication note
Finegan, Francis. ‘Limerick Jesuits in France’ taken from The Old Limerick Journal, Summer Edition 1989, Vol. 25.
Publication note
Kearney, Patrick. ‘University College, Mungret, 1888 - 1908’ taken from The Old Limerick Journal (Winter Edition 1994, Vol. 31).
Publication note
Laheen, Kevin. 'The Jesuits in Mungret, 1882-1974: Monastery to College', O'Brien Photo Books, 2014.
Publication note
Morrissey, Thomas J. 'William Ronan, S.J., 1825-1907: War Chaplain, Missioner, Founder of Mungret College'. Dublin: Messenger Publications, 2002.
Publication note
Morrissey, Thomas J. 'Some Jesuit Contributions to Irish Education: A Study of the work of Irish Members of the Society of Jesus in connection with the Irish College at Salamanca (1592 to 1610); Mungret College, Limerick (1881 to 1889); St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg (1818 to 1886); and University College Dublin (1883 to 1909).' NUl: Unpublished PHD, Two Volumes, 1973.
Publication note
Cahill, Edward. 'The Monastery of Mungret'. Catholic Truth Society of Ireland: Dublin, 1908.
Publication note
Cahill, Edward. 'The Abbot of Mungret: A Drama in Four Acts'. Dublin: Office of the Irish Messenger, 1925
Publication note
Roche, Redmond. 'Mungret', 'Interfuse', No. 12, December 1980.
Publication note
Finegan, Francis. ‘Mungret College Ave Atque Vale’, Jesuit Year Book, 1975, pp5-14
Publication note
'Mungret College', The Irish Jesuit, p8.
Notes area
Note
The 1974 Mungret Annual contains Mungret roll-call 1882-1963, 1964-1974.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Mungret College, Limerick, 1882-1974 (Subject)
- Irish Vice-Province of the Society of Jesus, 1830- (Subject)
- Mungret Apostolic School, 1880-1969 (Subject)
- Mungret Agricultural College, 1858-1878 (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
2000; 2008; 2021