Maynooth College Act, 1795

MAYNOOTH COLLEGE ACT 1795

CHAPTER XXI.

An Act for the better Education of Persons professing the Popish, or Roman Catholick Religion.

Preamble.

Persons herein named shall be trustees for establishing, endowing and maintaining an academy for the education of Roman Catholicks;

trustees empowered to receive subscriptions and donations, and to purchase and acquire lands not exceeding 1000l. per annum, and to erect buildings, &c.

WHEREAS by the laws now in force in this kingdom, it is not lawful to endow any college or seminary for the education exclusively of persons professing the Roman Catholic religion, and it is now become expedient that a seminary should be established for that purpose; be it therefore enacted by the King's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the right honourable John viscount Fitzgibbon, lord chancellor of Ireland, the right honourable John earl of Clonmell, chief justice of his Majesty's court of Kings bench in Ireland, the right honourable Hugh lord Carleton, chief justice of his Majesty's court of common pleas in Ireland, and the right honourable Barry Yelverton, chief baron of the court of exchequer in Ireland, and the chancellor, or lord keeper, chief justices, and chief baron of the said courts for the time being, together with Arthur James Plunkett, commonly called earl of Fingall, Jenico Preston, commonly called viscount Gormanstown, sir Thomas Browne, baronet, commonly called viscount Kenmare, sir Edward Bellew, baronet, Richard Strange, of the city of Dublin, esquire, sir Thomas French, baronet, the reverend Richard O'Reilly of Drogheda, doctor in divinity, the reverend John Thomas Troy, of the city of Dublin, doctor in divinity, the reverend Thomas Bray of Thurles, doctor in divinity, the reverend Boetius Egan of Tuam, doctor in divinity, the reverend Patrick Joseph Plunkett of Navan, doctor in divinity, the reverend Philip Mac Davett of Strabane, doctor in divinity, the reverend Francis Moylan of Cork, doctor in divinity, the reverend Gerald Tehan of Killarney, doctor in divinity, the reverend Daniel Delany of Tullow, doctor in divinity, the reverend Edmond French of Athlone, doctor in divinity, and the reverend Thomas Hussey, of the city of Dublin, doctor in divinity, and [Rep., Stat. Law Rev. (I.) Act, 1879.] the persons to be hereafter elected, as by this act is directed, shall be trustees for the purpose of establishing, endowing, and maintaining one academy, for the education only of persons professing the Roman Catholic religion; and that the said trustees shall have full power and authority to receive subscriptions and donations to enable them to establish and endow an academy for the education of persons professing the Roman Catholic religion, and to purchase and acquire lands, not exceeding the annual value of one thousand pounds, and to erect and maintain all such buildings as may be by the said trustees deemed necessary for the lodging and accommodation of the president, masters, professors, follows and students, who shall from time to time be admitted into, or reside in such academy. [Rep., Stat. Law Rev. (I.) Act, 1879.]

Seven trustees may appoint a president, masters, fellows, professors, &c. &c.

and make bye laws, &c.

III. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for the said trustees, or any seven or more of them, to appoint one president and so many masters, fellows, professors and scholars on the foundation, and ministers, servants and assistants of, and in the said academy, with such pensions, salaries, exhibitions, wages and allowances, as to them shall seem fit; and also to make such bye-laws, rules, regulations and statutes, for the government of the said academy, and for the education and government of all such persons to be on the foundation thereof, or to be educated therein, and for the appointment and election of a president, masters, fellows, members and officers of the said academy, as to the trustees, or any seven or more of them shall seem meet; provided that the same shall not be contrary to law.

Trustees may assemble in 1 month after passing this act and make rules, &c. acts of the majority of trustees binding on the whole.

VI. And be it enacted, That the said trustees shall and may assemble within one month after the passing of this act, at such time and place as shall be appointed by any seven or more of said trustees, by writing under their hands, and shall at such their first meeting, make such rules and regulations for their assembling in future, as to them shall seem expedient; and [Rep., Stat. Law Rev. (I.) Act, 1879.] that the acts of the trustees so assembled at the said first meeting, or the major part of them, and of the trustees [Rep., Stat. Law Rev. (I.) Act, 1879.] to be duly assembled at any future meeting, or the major part of them, shall be binding on, and be deemed the act of all the said trustees.

When trustees die, &c. others shall be elected, being natural subjects.

VII. And be it enacted, That so often as a vacancy shall happen by the death, removal, or resignation of the said trustees, or any of them, (save the said chancellor or lord keeper, chief justices, and chief baron of the said courts), the said trustees shall at their meeting, elect a person being a natural-born subject of his Majesty, to fill such vacancy.