revenues, could establish.  Already I can see that the work of the new Department, acting in conjunction with local bodies, urban and rural, throughout the country, will provide a considerable number of scholarships, bursaries, and exhibitions for young men who are being prepared to take part in the very real, but rather hazily understood, industrial revival which is imminent.  Leaving sectarian controversies out of the question, the type of institution which is required in order to provide adequately for the classes now left outside the influence of higher education is an institution pre-eminently national in its aims, and one intimately associated with the new movements making for the development of our national resources.

Unfortunately, however, in Ireland, and indeed in England too, there is a tendency to regard educational institutions almost solely as they will affect religion.  At least it is difficult to arouse any serious interest in them except from this point of view.  I welcome, therefore, the striking answers given to the queries of Lord Robertson, Chairman of the University Commission, by Dr. O’Dwyer, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Limerick, who boldly and wisely placed the question before the country in the light in which cleric and layman should alike regard it:—­

The Chairman.—­(413):  “I suppose you believe a Catholic University, such as you propose, will strengthen Roman Catholicism in Ireland?”—­“It is not easy to answer that; not so easy as it looks.” (414):—­“But it won’t weaken it, or you would not be here?”—­“It would educate Catholics in Ireland very largely, and, of course, a religious denomination composed of a body of educated men is stronger than a religious denomination composed of ignorant men.  In that sense it would strengthen Roman Catholicism.” (415):—­“Is there any sense in which it won’t?”—­“As far as religion is concerned, I do not know how a University would work out.  If you ask me now whether I think that that University in a certain number of years would become a centre of thought, strengthening the Catholic faith in Ireland, I cannot tell you.  It is a leap in the dark.” (416):—­“But it is in the hope that it will strengthen your own Church that you propose it?”—­“No, it is not, by any means.  We are Bishops, but we are Irishmen, also, and we want to serve our country."[26]

Equally significant were the statements of Dr. O’Dea, the official spokesman of Maynooth, when he said,

I regard the interest of the laity in the settlement of the University Question as supreme.  The clergy are but a small, however important, part of the nation, and the laity have never had an institution of higher education comparable to Maynooth in magnitude or resources.  I recognise, therefore, that the educational grievances of the laity are much more pressing than those of the clergy ...  It is generally admitted that Irish priests hold a position of exceptional