Maynooth University

Maynooth University (MU; Irish: Ollscoil Mhá Nuad) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. Maynooth University was formerly known as National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM; Irish: Ollscoil na hÉireann Mhá Nuad). It was Ireland's youngest university until Technological University Dublin was established in 2019, having been founded by the Universities Act, 1997, from the secular faculties of the now separate St Patrick's College, Maynooth, which was founded in 1795. Maynooth is one of two university towns in Ireland, the other being Tralee, Co. Kerry.

The university consists of two connected campuses: an older southern campus, with 19th-century buildings, shared with St Patrick's College, and a modern northern campus, occupying c. 40 hectares (100 acres).

Over 16,000 students are enrolled in the university, employing over 1,000 staff from over 20 different countries. In 2009, Maynooth University was listed as a Top500 university in the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings. In 2008, it was named The Sunday Times 'University of the Year'.

In the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2023, Maynooth University was ranked as the highest placed of Ireland's four universities under 50 years old.

History

18th and 19th centuries

The university and St Patrick's College, Maynooth have a common history from 1795 to 1997. The college in Maynooth was established by the government as a college for Catholic lay and ecclesiastical students in 1795. The lay college was based from 1802 in Riverstown House on the south campus. With the opening of Clongowes Wood College, the lay college which had lay trustees was closed in 1817 and it functioned solely as a Catholic seminary for almost 150 years. In 1876 the college became a constituent college of the Catholic University of Ireland, and later offered Royal University of Ireland degrees in arts and science. The Pontifical Charter was granted to the college in 1896.

20th and 21st centuries

The college became a recognised constituent college of the National University of Ireland in 1910. From this time, arts and science degrees were awarded by the National University of Ireland, while the Pontifical University of Maynooth continued to confer its own theology degrees, as these had been prohibited in the Royal University of Ireland, and continued to the National University of Ireland (its successor) until 1997.

In 1966 the college again allowed the entry of lay students; this greatly expanded the college and essentially set the foundation stone for Maynooth University. In 1997 the Universities Act resulted in the transfer of the faculties of arts, Celtic studies, philosophy and science of the recognised college of St Patrick's College to the new university. The university has also expanded into finance and engineering since its creation in 1997. In 2007 the university added business studies, followed by law in 2008.

Any person who was a student at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, and was conferred with a National University of Ireland degree prior to the creation of the university, is legally considered a graduate of Maynooth University.

In 1994, W. J. Smyth was appointed to the position of Master of St. Patrick's College Maynooth (NUI) and in 1997 he became president of MU. In 2004 W. J. Smyth was succeeded by John G. Hughes as president of Maynooth University. Thomas Collins was appointed interim president for 2010–2011, and Philip Nolan served in the role 2011–2021. On 1 October 2021, Finnish academic Eeva Leinonen became the first woman president of the institution.

Timeline

• 1518 – Garret Óg Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare, founded the College of St Mary in Maynooth
• 1535 – College of St Mary confiscated as part of Henry VIII's religious reforms
• 1795 – The Royal College of St Patrick established on 5 June 1795 (35 Geo III, cap. 21)

Campus

The university's main campus straddles the main road from Maynooth to Kilcock. It is divided into the North Campus and the South Campus (also referred to by staff and students as the "new" and "old" campuses respectively). The campuses were connected by means of a footbridge that crossed over the road until mid-2011. The footbridge was then decommissioned due to the construction of a library extension on the South Campus. The campuses are now connected by means of a pedestrian crossing on the Kilcock Road. The campus has four buildings for on-campus accommodation, namely Rye, Village, River, and Courtyard.

South Campus

The South Campus houses the facilities of St. Patrick's College, as well as most of the administrative offices shared between college and university. A number of MU academic departments also have their offices on the South Campus including Law, Mathematics, Music, Geography, Economics and History. The main buildings, most of which were built in the 19th century, are the Aula Maxima; St. Patrick's House (including the college chapel); the John Paul II Library (built in 1984). In December 2012 an extension to the John Paul II library was completed. The extension is 6,000 m2 and accommodates 1,700 students. New, Dunboyne, Humanity and Stoyte Houses which collectively form St. Joseph's Square; Logic House and Rhetoric House.

The first building to be completed on the South Campus was named after its designer, John Stoyte. Stoyte House, still a prominent presence on campus, stands in proximity to Maynooth Castle.

Over a period of 15 years, the site at Maynooth underwent rapid construction so as to cater for the influx of new students, and the buildings which now border St. Joseph's Square (to the rear of Stoyte House) were completed by 1824. The university chapel is located on the South Campus, just off St. Joseph's Square; masses and choir services are frequently held in the chapel, as is the traditional Christmas carol service. The South Campus also houses the National Science Museum and the Russell Library.

Maynooth University acquired most of south campus from St. Patrick's College in June, 2026. Prior to this acquisition Maynooth University rented facilities on South Campus from St. Patrick's College. The purchase adds twenty eight acres and twenty-four thousand square meters of buildings to Maynooth University.

North Campus

The North Campus was developed far more recently than the South Campus, in the latter half of the 20th century. Here, the main buildings are the Students' Union building, Sports Complex, Biosciences, and Engineering Building, Callan Science Building (named after the inventor of the induction coil, Nicholas Callan), the Iontas Building, the Arts Building, the Science Building and the John Hume Building. The Eolas Building houses the department of Computer Science, the Business Incubation Centre, the Innovation Value Institute, as well as the Hamilton and Callan Institutes, along with several teaching spaces, while the Technology, Society and Innovation (TSI) Building houses living labs and break out rooms for interactive research; three large theatres of 500, 300 and 250-seat capacity, and research spaces for students, academics and collaboration with industry partners.

Administration and organisation

The university is divided into three faculties: Arts, Celtic Studies and Philosophy; Science and Engineering; Social Sciences, with most students studying within one of these streams (although some cross-discipline courses are available). The faculties are further divided into various schools and departments.

As of 2016, there were 1,800 students at post graduate level.

Froebel College of Education

Since 2013, Froebel College of Education is situated on campus. Maynooth University has established a "Froebel Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education" and awarded Froebel College's four-year Bachelor of Education degrees, Higher Diploma in Primary Education, Master's degree in Special and Inclusive Education and Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in Special Education. The Education Building opened in late September 2016.

As a continuity of Froebel Colleges' heritage Religious Education and Theology modules are delivered by the department and the faculty of Theology of St Patrick's College, Maynooth (SPCM).

Academic affiliations

Maynooth University is a member of Universities Ireland, The Irish Universities Association, European University Association, European Association for International Education and Eurodoc.

MU is also a member of Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance, along with three other universities; TCD, UCD, DCU, and four institutes of technology; DIT, IADT, ITT and ITB. Maynooth University is also a member of the 3U Partnership with Dublin City University and the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.

The L.L.M. in International Business Law is offered as a dual degree offered in conjunction with the Catholic University of Lyon (UCLy) in France, the course is delivered in English.

The Development Studies programmes of the Kimmage Development Studies Centre, began being delivered from Maynooth and accredited by the university in 2013, with the Centre moving from Kimmage Manor to Maynooth in 2018.

The Diploma in Arts (Church Music) delivered in association with the National Liturgy Institute (St. Patrick's College, Maynooth) and the Dept. of Music NUI Maynooth.

Any student of St Patrick's College, Maynooth prior to the passing of the Universities Act, 1997, upon whom a degree of the National University of Ireland was conferred is now legally considered to be a graduate of Maynooth University. The college continues to share its campus with Maynooth University but remains a separate legal entity with training in canon law, philosophy and theology and awards the degrees of the Pontifical University and is associated with several other colleges.

Student life and traditions

Maynooth Students' Union represents the students of Maynooth University, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth as well as students at its associated campus at St Kieran's College.

Sporting scholarships

The university offers a number of sport scholarships to aspiring students in Gaelic games, rugby, golf, swimming, Soccer and snooker. Maynooth is the only university in Ireland to offer scholarships in swimming. Rugby scholarships were introduced to Maynooth University in 2006 in which scholarship students are obliged to attend the rugby performance centre and to play with the university teams and Barnhall RFC. The Maynooth University Rugby Performance Centre is open to all Rugby Club members attending MU. The aim of the centre is to enhance students' prospects within the game of rugby and to continue to achieve success with the university teams. As part of the link-up with Barnhall RFC, players from the youth system 16–20s are invited to take part in a summer programme. Currently, there are 4 men's teams playing in Barnhall rugby club as well as the introduction of the women's Rugby scholarship there is now a women's rugby team in Barnhall.

Demographics

Student numbers, 2016/17

Staff numbers, 2016/17

Traditions

In addition to individual clubs' intervarsity competitions, Maynooth University has a standing intervarsity competition with Dublin City University (DCU) each year called the 35s, in which the two colleges compete as a whole. Each club faces their counterpart in DCU, the winning university being whichever takes most points out of the 35 available over all sports.

A Christmas Carol service is held in the college chapel on an annual basis. The service is open to staff and students of the university and St Patrick's College, as well as members of the general public. Because of high demand, tickets are allocated by lottery.

In 1990 the Dept. of Mathematics, at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, initiated by Professor O'Farrell, commenced an annual walk from Dunsink Observatory, to Broombridge, Cabra, to commemorate the mathematician William Rowan Hamilton. Initially called The Quaternion Walk, now called The Hamilton Walk, takes place in October each year.

The Maynooth Alumni Association is for graduates of Maynooth University and St Patricks College, Maynooth, who wish to keep in touch with their College and also provides the means to stay in touch with friends and classmates. It hosts a number of events such as the Alumni Ball, Networking events, and publishes the Alumni magazine The Bridge.

Notable alumni and faculty

Nobel laureates and contributors

John Hume, graduate, politician, activist, Nobel laureate and winner of the Sean Mc Bride Peace Award. MP for Foyle and leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party 1979–2001.

Government, politics, law and public policy

• Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, appointed Honorary Adjunct Professor of Mediation and Conflict Intervention in the School of Business and Law
• Ruth Coppinger HDipEd, Socialist TD (Dublin West) 2014–2020, 2024-present
• Joe Costello, TD (Dublin Central)
• Noel Dempsey, TD and Cabinet Minister
• Éamon de Valera, President of Ireland, lectured in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics at Maynooth in 1912
• John Blake Dillon the Irish nationalist, Young Ireland member, who co-founded The Nation newspaper and spent two years in Maynooth

Paddy Gormley Nationalist Member of the Northern Ireland parliament.

• Mary Hanafin TD, Former Minister for Social and Family Affairs (BA, HdipEd)
• Brian Hayes, TD (Dublin South West)
• Joe McHugh, TD (Donegal North East)
• Catherine Martin, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
• John O'Brennan, political scientist
• Maureen O'Brien (Irish Army general), first woman to attain the ranks of Lt Colonel (Army line), Colonel and Brigadier General in the Irish Defence Forces
• Kevin O'Higgins, MP, TD

Publications

Currently active

Silver Hand Journal: Online student magazine featuring articles on student and local interest, cultural writing and creative works.

University News: Quarterly bulletin

ReSearch: Magazine detailing current research at the university

The Bridge: Biannual alumni magazine produced by the Alumni Association.

• The Print: Monthly magazine published by the Maynooth Students' Union, featuring editorials, interviews, creative works and campus news
• The Golden Thread: Newsletter featuring editorials, comments and articles on current issues regarding the law department and the area of law in general
• The Irish Law Journal: Peer-reviewed and student-edited law journal

Archivium Hibernicum: founded in 1911 is an annual historical journal published by St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, and the Dept. of Modern History, Maynooth University.

Maynooth Philosophical Papers, a biennial journal founded in 2002 by Thomas A. F. Kelly and edited in the Department of Philosophy

Defunct

MU Times: Weekly online magazine. mutimes.ie

The Tonic / Maynooth Advocate: newspaper titles published by the defunct Publications Society.

The SUS / nuimsu.com / The Spoke: former newspaper & magazine titles published by the Students' Union (predecessors to The Print)

Эх сурвалж: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)