Irish Colleges

Network of seminaries set up throughout Europe from the end of the 16th century, at a time when Catholic education in Ireland was severely restricted by the Protestant Dublin government. Established primarily for the education of priests, they also provided shelter for students of other professions. As financial, social, and political centres for Irish communities in Europe, the colleges played an important role in maintaining Ireland's European links in the 17th and 18th centuries. The first officially established college was in Salamanca, Spain, in 1592. Others were established in the main university cities of Catholic Europe. By 1670 there were over 30 of them, the largest in Paris, France. By the time of the French Revolution there were about 400 seminary places available to Irish students. Many colleges were closed during the French Revolution, but those that reopened maintained an important link between Ireland and Europe until after World War II. Today only the Irish College in Rome survives as a seminary.