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| Catholic statue in Irish landscape |
The Catholic Emancipation Act, giving freedom of religion to the Irish people, was passed in 1829. The Catholic Church found itself in a position to fill a huge vacuum.
All the native aristocracy had gone into exile or been reduced to the same misery as everyone else since the collapse of the old Irish social structure at the end of the seventeenth century.
All the native aristocracy had gone into exile or been reduced to the same misery as everyone else since the collapse of the old Irish social structure at the end of the seventeenth century.
All the institutions of the country were run by people who represented the interests of the ruling, colonizing class.
The Church had been a poor, powerless, therefore liberal and tolerant, Church of the people, for the people. It gradually became so highly institutionalized as to be almost like an alternative Civil Service.
More information: Caitlicigh ar an Ngréasán
Free to take its rightful place in Irish society, the Catholic Church began to build churches, schools, hospitals, charitable and other institutions of all kinds, acquiring in the process a great deal of land and property.
Since Independence in 1921, management of all the National primary schools has been in the hands of the Parish Priests, apart from a handful of schools of other denominations. There are only 7 multidenominational primary schools in the country, recently set up by parents.
The special place of the Catholic Church in Irish life was officially recognised in 1937 in the Constitution of the Nation but has been removed by a recent referendum.
Source: Why do the Irish? by Fiana Griffin
If you grow up in a very strong religion like Catholicism
you certainly cultivate in yourself a certain taste
for the intensity of ideas.
Brian Eno
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