In 1846, the Diocese of Killaloe lent its prestige and patronage to the private academy founded by Mr Fitzsimons called Springfield College in Ennis.
Fortified by this diocesan support, the school would function as both a diocesan seminary and as a day and boarding school for Catholic boys.
Under this arrangement, Springfield College flourished, and by the early 1850s was already enticing pupils away from prestigious Erasmus Smith College.
Springfield pupils were conspicuously successful in obtaining scholarships to the Queen's Colleges at Galway and Cork (now NUI Galway and University College Cork)
In 1859, Fitzsimons added a new wing to the college in order to cater for the increased number of students.
The same year, Springfield affiliated to the newly established University of London as a college preparatory school.
In 1862, financial difficulties caused Fitzsimons to terminate his connection with Springfield, and under his successor the College changed directions sharply.
The affiliation with the University of London was dropped for one with Newman's Catholic University in Dublin.
Fitzsimons, for his part, embarked on a new career in Argentina and within the space of a few years set up four new schools.
He died there in 1871 during an outbreak of yellow fever.
In 1865, the diocese broke with Springfield altogether and set up a diocesan college completely under its control known, to this day as St. Flannan's .
Here is a description of Springfield College:
"....... stands on three acres of land, tastefully laid out, including extensive play-grounds, noble racket-courts and, in the absence of out-door exercise, large play rooms.
".... The school rooms, which are spacious, lofty and thoroughly ventilated, are capable of accommodating 200 pupils.
".... The Dormitories, large, elegantly ventilated, can accommodate 60 boarders.
"... There are two Resident Masters engaged who, in turn, supervise the students and continually attend upon the pupils.
"... The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered up in the College Chapel and Catechetical Instructions are given by one of the Rev. Gentlemen of the Parish."
"....... stands on three acres of land, tastefully laid out, including extensive play-grounds, noble racket-courts and, in the absence of out-door exercise, large play rooms.
".... The school rooms, which are spacious, lofty and thoroughly ventilated, are capable of accommodating 200 pupils.
".... The Dormitories, large, elegantly ventilated, can accommodate 60 boarders.
"... There are two Resident Masters engaged who, in turn, supervise the students and continually attend upon the pupils.
"... The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered up in the College Chapel and Catechetical Instructions are given by one of the Rev. Gentlemen of the Parish."
The Springfield Curriculum was rigorous.
The Courses of Instruction included the following Languages: Latin, Greek, Hebrew, English, French, German and Italian.
In addition, there were courses in:
Ancient and Modern History, Geography, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Mathematics, Bookkeeping and Commercial Correspondence, Botany, Zoology, Mineralogy, Music, Drawing and "the various other branches of a thoroughly classical and commercial education."
"...The students are taught to write and speak French and Latin with ease and correctness. But, the cultivation of the English language and Mathematics always form a prominent feature in the curriculum of the College."
Our great grandfather, Henry Patrick Reilly, was a boarding student at Springfield College in Ennis from 1854-1859.
The Courses of Instruction included the following Languages: Latin, Greek, Hebrew, English, French, German and Italian.
In addition, there were courses in:
Ancient and Modern History, Geography, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Mathematics, Bookkeeping and Commercial Correspondence, Botany, Zoology, Mineralogy, Music, Drawing and "the various other branches of a thoroughly classical and commercial education."
"...The students are taught to write and speak French and Latin with ease and correctness. But, the cultivation of the English language and Mathematics always form a prominent feature in the curriculum of the College."
Our great grandfather, Henry Patrick Reilly, was a boarding student at Springfield College in Ennis from 1854-1859.
In July 1853, Henry must have been enrolled for a summer semester.
Competing with over 100 other students, he was selected by members of his class to be placed "for premiums".
Competing with over 100 other students, he was selected by members of his class to be placed "for premiums".
After his first full year at Springfield, grades and honors were published in June 1855.
The "gentlemen" whose names were published had "...not only obtained the best marks in their respective classes at examination, but were distinguished during the academic year for conduct and application to their studies..."
We find that Henry had distinguished himself in Latin, Euclid, French, English Composition and Geography.
But, have you noticed who else received Honors that year?
The "elusive" Edward Reilly, Henry's older brother, was also a student at Springfield College!
I have been unable to locate ANY official records about Edward, at all...... yet, here he is at Springfield College.
I had been wondering if he might have had some disability which prevented him from living as an adult...... I guess NOT!
Edward Reilly also earned his share of Honors that year at Springfield:
Euclid, Algebra, German, Geography and Arithmetic.
In addition, he, too, was an "Exhibitioner" with his younger brother in Greek & Latin, Science and Modern Languages.
As mentioned: Springfield College offered a rigorous, classical education.
In 1857, the annual tuition at Springfield College was only £30 paid half yearly, in advance.
Quite a deal!
Henry attended the Summer Session at Springfield College in 1858 and excelled in the Science AND Literary Divisions
.
The subject matter in these classes is hard to believe.
The "elusive" Edward Reilly, Henry's older brother, was also a student at Springfield College!
I have been unable to locate ANY official records about Edward, at all...... yet, here he is at Springfield College.
I had been wondering if he might have had some disability which prevented him from living as an adult...... I guess NOT!
Edward Reilly also earned his share of Honors that year at Springfield:
Euclid, Algebra, German, Geography and Arithmetic.
In addition, he, too, was an "Exhibitioner" with his younger brother in Greek & Latin, Science and Modern Languages.
As mentioned: Springfield College offered a rigorous, classical education.
"The success of these pupils after the ordeal of such examinations - FIVE days, SIX hours each day - is proof of the talents of the pupils, as well as of the superior knowledge, zeal and attention of their Masters in cultivating those latent talents to perfection."
Quite a deal!
Henry attended the Summer Session at Springfield College in 1858 and excelled in the Science AND Literary Divisions
.
The subject matter in these classes is hard to believe.
Greek ~ Lucien, the Medea, Zenophon and the Six books of Homer.
Latin ~ Sallust; the 5th and 6th Books of Caesar; the Five books of Virgil; Cicero de Amieitia and de Sinectute; Two books of Homer's Ode; Satires and Epistles; Composition in Greek and Latin; History of Greece to the death of Alexander; History of Rome to the accession of Augustus; Geography, Ancient and Modern.
Science ~ Six Books of Euclid; Algebra (including Simple and Quadratic Equations, Proportion and Progression, Permutation and Combination); the Binomial Theorem.
Arithmatic ~ Including Vulgar and Decimal Fractions, Simple Interest and the Extraction of the Square Root; Plain Trigonometry.
Henry Patrick Reilly graduated from Springfield College in 1859.
The Commencement Ceremony must have been pretty impressive.
"...At the upper end of the spacious hall, on a raised dais covered with scarlet cloth and surmounted with a rich canopy of crimson silk, presided the (faculty) in full academic costume of silk robes and velvet caps....."
"....Around the dais was arranged .... a numerous assemblage of visitors ... many of whom had traveled far that morning to be present on this important and interesting occasion..."
"....At the other extremity of the hall, the young students, about 100 in number and wearing the College Caps and Gowns according to their status in the university, presented an interesting sight..."
(These photos of academics have nothing to do with Springfield or our family. They were just added for color.)
"....The academic prizes consisted of silver medals, ornamental crowns, gold crosses and books.
"....As the medal or cross was suspended on the neck or the crown placed on the head of each, a wild burst of applause arose throughout the hall..."
I contacted St Flannan's but, unfortunately, they have no student records dating to Springfield College so I have lost the "Edward Trail" for now.
And, of course, Henry's records are not available either.
After his graduation, Henry moved to Dublin to apprentice with the successful solicitor, Matthew Kenny, Esq.
But ~ that was not the end of the Reilly Connection to Springfield College.
Now known as St Flannan's, the examination results of the Michaelmas (September) Term of 1863 were published:
G (George Robert) Milward
E (Edwin Oswald) Milward
C (Charles Albert) Milward
Charles & Edwin also excelled in Geography.
L (Louis Alfred) Milward earned Second Prize in Spelling, Geography, Grammar, Catechism, Reading and Arithmetic.
As you have probably realized, these Milward boys were the older brothers of our great grandmother, Mary Frances Julia Milward.
I do not think their time at Springfield/St Flannan's overlapped with Henry's but this is still an amazing situation.
In 1865, the Milward Brothers again earned Honors.
In addition to Edwin and George, brothers Frederick (Freeman O'Brien) and William Harnett were on the Honors List.
Edwin Oswald, William Harnett and George Robert all went on to earn Scholarships to Queen's College in Galway.
Edwin became a Medical Doctor and George was a Civil Engineer.
I plan to feature the Milward Brothers in future posts.
At a time in history when many people were illiterate, both sides of our Reilly family knew the importance of educating their children and had the means to do so.
I like knowing that,
I like knowing that,
EPILOGUE
History gives a nation its bearing on what it is and how its people are affected by what has happened in the past.
Its kings and queens, its wars - with victories and defeats - these all mold a nation’s culture into the way it views itself in the present.
In the same way, a family history presents how a family has survived and come to terms with the great social and cultural experiences of the ages.
We hope these stories will give each member of our family a foundation and, in some small way, explain how we came to be what we are today.
Hopefully, through these vignettes, our future generations will gain a knowledge of the energy and dynamism, the loves and hates, the errors and mistakes, the victories and failures, the struggles and successes that make us what we are.
Our family history presents a fascinating read - and, hopefully, some lessons to be learned in the process.
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