National University of Ireland - History

History

Queen's Colleges at Belfast, Cork, and Galway were established in 1845; in 1849 teaching commenced and a year later they were united under the Queen's University of Ireland. The Catholic University of Ireland was created as an independent university on November 3, 1854 for the education of Catholics, this university however was neither a recognised university nor offered recognised degrees. In 1880 the Royal University of Ireland took over the degree awarding functions of the two former universities and offered recognised degrees to the graduates of the new University College Dublin and St Patrick's College, Maynooth, previously awarded under the Catholic University. The Catholic University became University College Dublin in 1882 under the direction of the Jesuits and its students, in the 1890s achieved more distinctions than their counteparts in Belfast, Cork and Galway which were established as secular institutions.

The 1908 reforms created the National University of Ireland and a separate Queen's University of Belfast. The Royal University was dissolved in 1909 and in 1910 Maynooth became a recognised college of the NUI. Initially the National University unlike the Royal University did not award degrees for part-time or external students, however like the Royal University the National University was still banned from awarding degrees in Theology.

In 1975 the teacher training colleges of Carysfort College, Blackrock, St. Patrick's College Drumcondra and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick became recognised colleges of the NUI, as was Thomond College of Education, Limerick for 1976 and 1977. In 1978 St. Angela's College, Sligo became affiliated to the NUI.

In 1996 the National College of Art and Design became a recognised college of the NUI. The 1997 reforms restructured the National University of Ireland, and an additional university at Maynooth was created from certain faculties of the previous recognised college, St Patrick's College, Maynooth. These reforms also removed the prohibition on theology that had been imposed on the National University and its predecessors.