St. Jarlath's College | |
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Location | |
Information | |
Type | Secondary school |
Motto | Veni lumen cordium |
Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
Established | 1801 A.D. (Amalgamated 2009) |
President | Mr. John Kelly |
Faculty | 43 |
Enrollment | approx 530 |
Website | http://www.jarlaths.ie/ |
St. Jarlath's College (Coláiste Iarfhlatha in Irish) is a Roman Catholic secondary school for boys in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland. It is an amalgamation of the former St. Jarlath's College and St. Patrick's College, Tuam both diocesan colleges of the Archdiocese of Tuam.
The College was named after Jarlath, or Iarlaith, who founded a monastery in the town when, as legend has it, his chariot wheel broke.
The original St. Jarlath's College was founded in 1801 by then Archbishop of Tuam, Edward Dillon, with the aim of preparing young boys for entry into Maynooth Catholic Seminary. Dr. Dillon had to seek permission to establish the college from the Protestant Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Beresford. It began with two thatched cottages at the Mall, Tuam later moving to a new building in Bishop Street, now commonly known as "the Old College". Its first president was Rev. Oliver Kelly, who later became Archbishop of Tuam. In 1824, the facilities of the College were enlarged by the erection of additional houses in Bishop Street and in 1856 the site of the present college and grounds was bought by Archbishop McHale. This property was known as Keighrey's Park and a portion of it was used as the town's fair green. Dr. McHale continued to set it as a fair green to the town commissioners at a yearly rent of 30 until 1875 in which year the college was extensively enlarged by the addition of two wings to the first building which had been erected in 1858.Professor JB Whelehan taught at the school.
In 1851, Archbishop, John McHale had invited the Christian Brothers to Tuam. This Catholic organisation was to play a large part in the development of an educated Catholic middle class in Ireland. The invitation resulted in the birth of Tuam CBS, and later St. Patrick's College, a Catholic day secondary school, which was to play an enormous role in the development of the town of Tuam. In the twentieth century these two schools, both passionately attached to the sport of Gaelic Football, developed an intense and celebrated rivalry.