1858: CARDINAL NICHOLAS WISEMAN

Nicholas Patrick Stephen (Patricio Esteban) Wiseman (3 August 1802 – 15 February 1865) was born in Seville of Irish parents, James and Xaviera (nee Strange); his father had located in Spain for business reasons but died in 1805, after which Nicholas's mother returned to her native Waterford where the future cardinal received his early education. His further education was accomplished in England, first attending St. Cuthbert's College at Ushaw and then the English College in Rome, from where he was ordained for the Northern District of England and where he joined the staff, subsequently becoming Rector at the age of twenty-six and acting as representative of the English bishops.

In 1840, at the age of 38, he was appointed president of Oscott College, coadjutor to Bishop Thomas Walsh of the Midland District (which shortly became the Central District). In 1847 he was appointed coadjutor to Bishop Thomas Griffiths of the London District although when the latter died, Bishop Walsh was appointed in his place; however, Bishop Walsh died in 1849 and Bishop Wiseman succeeded him, becoming Archbishop of Westminster in the following year when the English hierarchy was restored and being appointed Cardinal on the same day.

In August and September 1858 he visited Ireland for three weeks and undertook what turned out to be a triumphant tour. He landed in Waterford in September and stayed with his cousin Peter Strange. Among other places he visited were Dublin, Dundalk and Ballinasloe.

On the morning of 8th September 1858 he arrived in Maynooth railway station where he was met by the President of the College. As with his other stops on the tour, he recorded the event in a compendium published in Dublin in 1859, and including all of his sermons, lectures and speeches delivered during his itinerary together with the text of a lecture delivered in London on his return regarding his impressions of Ireland (the volume runs to 436 pages and is available at archive.org: click here)

The account narrates how the President, Dr. Charles William Russell, “the professors and the students, over five hundred in number, in full academic costume, were in waiting with the college grounds, and accorded to their illustrious visitor a thoroughly Irish welcome” He then said High Mass and in the afternoon he met with staff and students of the College in the new library which was still an empty hall. “In the evening his Eminence was entertained at a banquet by the president. Upwards of seventy prelates, clergy, and gentry sat down. After nightfall the college and also the town of Maynooth were handsomely illuminated in honour of the visit of the Cardinal”. Dr. Russell corresponded with Cardinal Wiseman; some of these letters are reproduced in the Irish Monthly and there are original letters from Cardinal Wiseman to Dr. Russell in the archives of St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

You can find further references to the visit at the following Maynooth-related sites:

https://www.libfocus.com/2015/02/cardinal-wiseman-at-maynooth.html

http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/5824/1/OM_Cardinal_Wiseman2.pdf

1954 Cardinal James McIntyre of Los Angeles, whose mother, Mary Pelly, came from Kiltormer, Co. Galway

August 1961: Cardinal Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (later Pope Paul VI)

A FUTURE POPE VISITS

Fr. Joseph Ratzinger, then a young theologian making a name for himself at the University of Tubingen, visited Maynooth in 1969 to address the Maynooth Union. A separate account of his visit and his various later Maynooth connections is given at A Future Pope Visits 1969