Springfield College

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."

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.

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".

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. 

In addition, Henry is also mentioned in the Category of "Exhibitioner" in three different subjects: Greek and Latin; Science and Modern Language.

 

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.

"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."

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.

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:

Among the Honor Students in the Fourth Class studying Xenophon, Sallust, Virgil, Lucien, Latin Composition and Greek & Roman History were:

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.

Edwin & Charles won again in French.

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,

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.

The Reilly Family & School Bazaars

In the mid 19th century, a new approach toward girls' secondary education was developing in Ireland.

Basically ~  secondary education for girls should be similar to that available for boys. 

Up until this time, girls did not have access to secondary education at all.

Mathematics and Latin should be included in the girls' curriculum.

The "accomplishments" (deportment, social graces, etc) should be downgraded with greater stress placed on examinations. 

Such a secondary education would qualify these female graduates to further their education in a university.

This was the beginning of a movement in female education in Ireland that was turning away from traditional convent boarding schools for the upper classes and turning more toward "pension" day schools ~ private academies ~ for the growing upper middle class.

Because these Pension Schools catered to both the primary and secondary education of their pupils, they were the only schools which gave them the opportunity to move upward in society. 

In 1854, Dean John Kenny, the Parish Priest of Ennis, went to the Mercy Convent in Limerick to plead for a group of Sisters to establish a foundation in his parish. 

Notice the enthusiastic young Sister in the back. Isn't her smile beautiful! I wonder how her life turned out......

On May 29, 1854, Mother Elizabeth Moore and four Sisters from Limerick arrived in Ennis to begin the new foundation

The Sisters took up residence and St. Xavier’s Convent (Primary) School started immediately.

By 1856, 547 girls, taught by five Sisters, were enrolled in their school.

Their original facilities were now inadequate for the number of students and for the additional Sisters needed to teach them.

In keeping with the demands of the time to offer girls a more modern education than what was usually offered at Convent Boarding Schools, in 1860, the Sisters of Mercy in Ennis decided to establish St Mary's Pension School .. 

This was the beginnings of what was later to become St Mary's Secondary School or Colaiste Muire in Irish. 

For a fee, girls  were taught music, drawing, painting, arithmetic, French, German, Euclid and well as English literature. 

Of course, this new venture would require money. How would they ever finance such a project?

Well ~ the Sisters did what Catholic schools and parishes have always done to raise money ~ they held an annual Bazaar! 

The Sisters actually started holding an Annual Bazaar in 1857 and every year ~ until 1872 ~ the local newspaper, The Clare Journal and Ennis Advertiser, would publish reports on its success, its attendance and its volunteers.

Mrs Gavin and Mrs Milward worked together on this Bazaar. They probably knew each other through their husbands' association with the Bank of Ireland.

Mrs Milward is, of course, our great great grandmother. Mrs Gavin is Edmund Burke-Browne's sister. Miss O'Rielly is Henry Patrick's sister!

E.B. Browne, Esq, Castle Park is Bessie Reilly's husband. 

Ellen Mary O'Brien Milward (1817- )

Mrs Gavin (Frances Burke-Browne, Edmund's sister), Miss Gavin (her daughter, Marcella who became a Sister of Nazareth) and Mrs Milward, (our great great grandmother).

Imagine my surprise when I saw our ancestors' names in this newspaper account of the Sisters of Mercy Bazaar!

It told me two things ~ not only where our great grandmother must have attended school but ~ the Milward and Reilly families ~ despite living 20 miles apart in Ennis and Ennistymon ~ must have been acquainted with each other.

Mrs Milward is Ellen Mary, our great great grandmother.

E. B. Browne (Edmund Burke Browne) married Henry's sister, Bessie Reilly.

Miss Reilly is Henry's sister, Nannie.

Mrs Gavin is Edmund's sister, Frances and Miss Gavin is her daughter, Marcella Gavin. Marcella later became a Sister of Nazareth in Hammersmith, England.

I immediately emailed the Mercy Archivist in Dublin for Mary Frances Milward's student records.

Unfortunately, there are no student records in their Archives.

But, I am going to take a leap and say that Mary Frances Milward Reilly went to St Mary's.

Not only that ~ but I will bet Bessie Reilly Burke-Browne sent her seven daughters to the Sisters of Mercy for their education. too.

Since it was such a small community, and the ladies obviously worked together on Bazaar Committees for several years, the Milwards and the Reillys must have known each other.


So, in 1872, when 17 year old Mary Milward married 34 year old Henry Patrick Reilly, she must have known him and his family all her life......

In 1860, Mrs Gavin & Mrs Milward again chaired the Refreshment Stall and Miss Reilly donated and attended the Bazaar.

St Mary's Pension School was opened in September 1860. Mary Milward was only 5 years old at the time so she would still have been in St Xavier's. She'd be eligible for the Pension in about 1869. 

The oldest of the Burke-Browne ladies (Marcella) would not have been eligible for St Xavier until 1868; Frances in 1870; Agnes in 1871; Adelaide in 1872; Ida in 1873; Emma in 1874 and Louisa in 1876,

Obviously, at a time in history when the education of girls was not universally considered important, these parents were all very conscientious about the future of their daughters and had made plans for their education years in advance.

I like knowing that!

Hannah "Nannie" Reilly (1835-1911)

In 1861, for the third year in a row, Mrs Gavin and Mrs Milward did the Refreshments and Edmund Burke Browne was there, too. He and Bessie had gotten married the previous November of 1860.

Mrs Milward was pregnant with her 11th child ~ Ernest ~ who was born 7 months later.

The next year ~ 1862 ~ Mrs Milward was the only member of the family to participate at the Bazaar and no one participated in 1863.

They had other committments ~ Baby Ernest had died in 1863 and the Burke-Brownes welcomed their first daughter, Marcella, who was born just a week before the 1863 Bazaar.

But, they are back in 1864! Bessie & Nannie plus our great great grandparents, Ellen & John Harnett Milward, were there, too.

St Mary's Pension School provided secondary education for the girls of the town and the surrounding area. However, the Sisters were aware that many girls could not avail of this opportunity because of the distance from the school.

Neither could they afford the boarding school fees of the time.

In response to this need, the Sisters renovated their vacated school building in town and opened St Joseph's Boarding School in September 1865.

There were 70 boarding students in 1869.

I will bet that the seven Burke-Browne sisters attended St Joseph's Boarding School in Ennis.

John Harnett Milward (1817-1870)

-

Bessie was 8 months pregnant at the 1865 Bazaar. She, Edmund , Nannie & John Harnett Milward were there but Mrs Milward had given birth to her 12th child that year and had lost him right away.

Bessie was pregnant again in 1866 but she, Nannie and John were there. Mrs Milward was 8 months pregnant with her youngest son.

Mrs Milward

Everyone made it again in 1867 ~ Bessie was pregnant with her third daughter

Nannie Reilly was the only one to make it to the Bazaar in 1869. Bessie was pregnant again.  

In 1870, we have Mrs Gavin & Bessie chairing the Refreshment Stall!

Nannie is there and ~ the most surprising development of all ~ she is with their older brother. 

Edward Reilly, Esq is there, too! 

This is the only document other than his death record that I have found for him and he is living at Woodpark with his parents and Nannie. I do not know what to make of it!

This is the last account of the Annual Convent of Mercy Bazaar and we find the Reilly Sisters ~ Bessie & Nannie ~ presiding at TWO Stalls this year!

Bessie had delivered the last of her seven daughters in 1871.

Mary Frances Milward was  born in 1855 and was 8 years older than Bessie's daughters.

 She was probably at St Mary's when they were at St Joseph's Boarding School.

The families must have known each other.

As stated above,  there were over 500 students in 1856.

500 students!

Yet ~ members of BOTH sides of our family were the most active and involved parents in the entire school community!

I like knowing that!

The Burke Browne family lived at Castle Park House in Kilmihil and Nannie lived at Woodpark House in Ennistymon. 

Castle Park House in Kilmihil.

The Milwards lived in Ennis at Fountain House 

What an amazing discovery to find these newspaper clippings! From them, we can determine that the families knew each other; where the girls attended school and that Edward is "around" at Woodpark in 1870 ~ the year his mother passes away.

He is still a mystery.

The Convent of Mercy today - The Templegate Hotel in Ennis

May 28, 2017

Yesterday, I uncovered another interesting tidbit of information.

Mrs Gavin was Frances (Fanny) Burke-Browne ~ Edmund Burke-Browne’s sister.

So, it made sense that she and Edmund’s wife (Bessie Reilly) would work together on the Bazaar.

But, Fanny had been widowed before she married Michael Gavin in 1854.

Her first husband was James O’Brien who had suddenly died  of a heart attack in 1845, 2 years after they married.

James O’Brien had been manager of the Bank of Ireland in Kilrush and his father was the Manager of the same Bank in Ennis.

When his father, Terence, retired in 1848, John Harnett Milward (Mrs Milward's husband) had succeeded him as Bank Manager in Ennis.

Sooooooo ~ Since their husbands were bank colleagues, Mrs Milward probably already knew Mrs Gavin before they had co-chaired at the Sisters  of Mercy Bazaar!

The County Clare Gentry class was a small little world.

I am discovering that everyone in the Gentry Class was interconnected with one another in some way or the other.

 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.