The Teaching and Learning of Mathematics

(and Maths Physics) at Maynooth

 

The specialisation in scientific studies that marks the academic tradition of Maynooth College from its very beginnings may come as a surprise to those who see a conflict between religion and science, but the fact is that the college's record in educating priest-scientists - and indeed a number of lay men who had left ad vota saecularia - over the first two centuries of its existence is one of its most impressive achievements.

Apart from the number of scientists who graduated from the National University of Ireland recognised college at Maynooth and who did not continue their priestly training, that tradition has been quite spectacularly transferred to the education of lay people from the mid 1960s onwards.

This account of the teaching of science focuses particularly on Mathematics, and is part of a county-by-county survey of Irish mathematicians at Mathematics Ireland.

 

While there was a lay component for the first two decades, from 1817 until 1966 St.Patrick's College at Maynooth served exclusively as a seminary: students were presumed to be training for the priesthood in addition to pursuing arts, science, or divinity degrees. The religious qualifications were awarded by the Pontifical University.

Many alumni taught soon after graduation or ordination, mostly at secondary schools which in turn fed pupils back to Maynooth, e.g., at St Columb's (Derry), St Nathy's in Ballaghaderreen, St Colman's (Derry), St Eunan's, St Kieran's (Kilkenny), and St Peter's (Wexford), several rising to leadership positions at those colleges. 

Some graduates excelled in academia - at Maynooth, elsewhere in Ireland, or overseas - and obtained scientific doctortates and/or published research.  A few worked in industry.

In 1876, St Patrick's College joined forces with the Catholic Univ of Ireland, hence later becoming part of the Royal University (RUI), and from 1909 on, the National University of Ireland (NUI).  Much later, in 1997, St Patrick's College became the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and in 2014, the name Maynooth University was adopted.

From the very start, physics (aka natural and experimental philosophy) was taught at Maynooth, the men holding that professorship also teaching all maths classes.  From 1909 on, degrees in various combinations of physics, maths physics and maths were offered. 

Most of the relevant instruction up to WWI was done by these men: Pierre Delort (1795-1801), André Darré (1801-1813), Cornelius Denvir (1813-1825), Nicholas Callan (Professor of Physics, 1826-1864), Francis Lennon (Professor of Physics, 1864-1911).  [The years listed reflect the total span they taught at Maynooth - sometimes their appointments started a little earlier.  Also, the titles are the highest ones they achieved, even if they started with different ones.]

Curiously, while a professorship in Mathematics had been approved from the founding of the college, it was not filled until the 1950s.  In 1902, Patrick Dowling and James Gibney were appointed as lecturers in Mathematics, the later dying within months.  UCD's Arthur Conway was drafted to cover the gap, while maintaining his main duties in Dublin, and ended up teaching at Maynooth for seven years.   Eamon de Valera taught Mathematics there (1912-1914), as well as in Dublin, before his attention turned to politics.  Then Pádraig de Brún held the fort as Professor of Mathematics and Maths Physics (1914-1945) before being appointed as President of University College Galway.

Post WWII, Jim McConnell was appointed Professor of Mathematics and Maths Physics (1945-1968). His excellent 1991 article "Maynooth Revisited" contains a wealth of fascinating detail about the history of mathsy matters at Maynooth, also detailing the extensive connections with DIAS starting in the 1940s.

Finally, James McMahon (whose training and research was in Maths Physics) served as the first Professor of Mathematics (1954-1974).  Joe Spelman followed McConnell as Professor of Maths Physics (1969-1992).  In Experimental Physics, the succession was John Donaghy (1912-1921), PJ Nolan (1921-1928), Patrick McLaughlin (1928-1957), and Gerry McGreevy (1957-1982).  Later still, came James Slevin & Anthony Murphy.

A common pattern for graduates for many decades was to teach for a while, then switch to parish work.  Quite a few of these men ended up as parish priests, and some became bishops.  The numbers of Maths and Maths Physics graduates was modest until the late 1960s.

Women students were admitted starting in 1966, and in the autumn of 1967 the first of these graduated with HDips.  The first female maths graduates (and staff) came later.

Lay staff were not far off.  Of those who ended up staying for decades, permanent lecturer and UCC graduate Dave Walsh (1965) was hired in Mathematics in 1971, as was Tigran Tchrakian from London in Maths Physics.  Maynooth graduate Richard Watson (1964) joined maths in 1973.  In 1975, Tony O'Farrell, a UCD graduate with a PhD from Brown University in the U.S., was appointed Professor of Mathematics to replace Joe Spelman.  Soon the pace picked up, and the numbers of mathematical graduates increased significantly.   Over the past few decades, the college gradually morphed into what we now know as Maynooth University. 

If we were to account all 'mathsy' Maynooth graduates, we'd have to list hundreds of men and women. We highlight the surprisingly modest number of people born in Kildare, as well all mathsy Maynooth graduates, and also anyone who has taught and/or done research there (say, for at least 3 years).  This would include the handful who did PhDs there up to 2000, and the fifty who have done so since then. 

However, for this first installment, we are restricting ourselves to the 100+ relevant people who got their first degrees up to the end of the 1960s.  For about thirty of those, little is known.  We will continue the story, from 1970 on in future blogs.  Our table below ends with some people who graduated (elsewhere) in the 1960s but didn't impact maths at Maynooth until later; our date cut-off isn't perfect.

As an indication of how much Maynooth dominates this blog, removing it leaves only 9 names, of people born or raised in Kildare: Henry Greer, William Bergin, Edward O’Toole, Stephen O’Brien, Mary Glennon, John Gallivan, Charlie Rogers, John Hickey, Anthony Byrne

As usual, there are probably Irish maths (or maths ed or stats or actuarial or theoretical physics) people missing from this blog because while we know about them, we don't yet know of their Kildare (or Maynooth) association.  And sometimes a record of a Kildare birth is unclear on whether in was in the town of that name or in the county generally.

Comments, additions and corrections are, as always, welcome. As are more photographs.  We sometimes include links to newspaper clippings which may list details that do not line up perfectly with our claims.  For instance, a published death notice or obituary may list an incorrect graduation, ordination, or appointment date, while contemporaneous records confirm the true year.

Thanks to Tony O'Farrell (Maynooth), Ciarán Mac an Bhaird (Maynooth), Olivia Bree (SPD) and David Malone (Maynooth) for valuable input. Last updated 29 March 2022.