Maynooth Grant
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The Maynooth grant was a major British political controversy of the 1840's.
In 1845, British Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel sought to conciliate the Irish and put a stop to political unrest there.
To that end, he made a number of proposals. The most controversial, as it turned out, was a proposal that the Royal College of St. Patrick, a Catholic seminary at Maynooth, have its annual grant increased from £9,000 (a figure that had remained constant since 1809) to £26,000. In a one-time payment, the seminary would receive an additional £30,000 for repairs. The seminary received a grant since it had been founded by King George III in 1795 as a way of avoiding having priests trained in revolutionary France.[1] Peel sought to conciliate the Irish clergy, and also felt that a better-educated clergy would be less likely to support causes such as the repeal of the Act of Union.
Although the measure passed, it excited much controversy. Many in Protestant Britain disliked supporting a Catholic institution--although, until the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland, mostly-Catholic Ireland was required to support a Protestant church few attended. William Ewart Gladstone voted for it, but then resigned from Peel's government.[2]
Queen Victoria wrote about the controversy: "I am sure poor Peel ought to be blessed by all Catholics for the many and noble ways in which he stands forth to protect and do good for poor Ireland. But the bigotry, the wicked and blind passion it brings forth is quite dreadful, and I blush for Protestantism!" In 1849, she and Prince Albert would make a point of visiting the seminary on their visit to Ireland.
While the grant was controversial, and weakened Peel's government, it set a precedent, and within three years, government support was being given to Catholic schools in England.
