Succession of Rectors
The first rector of Knockbeg was
Fr. James Nolan. A native of Tullow he was a nephew of the saintly
Bishop Nolan 1834—37, Educated al Carlow and the Irish College,
Paris he was ordained in 1845 and attached to Carlow Lay College.
When Knockbeg was opened he was appointed rector. He was a man of
ascetic appearance and of a very retiring disposition. Carpentry was
his hobby and for many years some of the articles he made were to be
seen m the college. It is said that he made his own coffin but that
at the bidding of charity he gave it to bury a poor old woman who
died in the neighbourhood.
Fr. Nolan died 26th January 1875 in
the Infirmary, Carlow College and is buried in the College cemetery. After his
death the college was closed for two years. It was reopened in 1877 under the
rectorship of Fr. William P. Bourke. Fr. Bourke was a man of rate culture and
attainments. A Kildare man, like all his countrymen he loved a good horse and
was himself a keen horseman. The existing building proving insufficient a new
wing dedicated to St. Joseph was added about this time. On 18 May; 1879 the
foundation stone was laid by Bishop Walshe. Hague was the architect. With this
additional accommodation the number of boys increased to about 31.
Fr. John Corbett succeeded
Fr. Bourke but he
spent only a short period in the college. On 19 May, 1883 Fr. James
Harris went there as rector.2
In 1886 Fr. Paul E. Murphy, later PP
Edenderry was appointed rector.3 A native of Co. Cork, his warm
southern disposition endeared him to the boys who numbered about 30 in his time.
Among them were many prominent members of the College Union, including E. Lupton
and C. Grimes. He was deeply concerned in their spiritual welfare, and had the
gift of speaking to them in a way that was impressive and edifying. Under him
were established the Sacred Heart, Children of Mary and Temperance Associations
in the school. He cultivated among the boys great devotion to the Blessed
Sacrament. On Friday 2 November 1888 permission was granted to have the Blessed
Sacrament reserved in the Oratory, which was at that time located immediately
above the present English Hall in the Old House. In February 1890 a harmonium
was acquired and installed. On Sunday 15 June of the same year, the first High
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CLOG AN GHOLAISTE
- "And to eve from early morning
- On his ear for ever fell
- The sweet-toned tender music
- Of the well-known College bell."
- (From an old song about Carlow College,
1867)
The Knockbeg bell hung on a Killeshin chapel during Penal
times. The date, 1642, can be seen from the top window. The penal
bell was given by Fr. Hugh Cullen P.P. to Fr. P. J. Doyle, Rector.
Fr. Hugh's successor, Fr. Ml. Bolger, P.P. claimed it back from
Fr.
P. J's successor, Dr. M. Donohoe. It lay at the forge of
M. McDarby,
Graigcullen until Dr. Donohoe's successor Fr. P. MacSuibhne
asked
and obtained it from Fr. Bolger's successor,
Fr. James Fogarty, P.P.
Fr. MacSuibhne look the precaution of having it hung over the back
door of the front wing.
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Mass was celebrated in the
college, and on the following Thursday, Feast of Corpus Christi, the
first Benediction. The boys at the time seem to have been
particularly conscious of, and attentive to their Divine Guest. And
indeed judging by their successors, they seem to have firmly
established in the college this tradition of devotion to Christ in
the Tabernacle.
Up to this time Knockbeg was
closely connected with Carlow College, the boys of St. Mary's
Preparatory School taking part in the annual Carlow Lay College
Exhibition Day and the President of Carlow College coming out on
Saturday afternoons to read the "Judgments" for the week. The
prefects at this time also were ecclesiastical students of Carlow
College who lived in Knockbeg and went in to Carlow daily for
lectures. But in 1892 Carlow Lay College was entirely transferred to
Knockbeg, increasing the number of boys there to 50. This had the
great advantage of segregating entirely lay from ecclesiastical
students; it also gave Knockbeg a certain amount of autonomy which
it had hitherto lacked.
In 1895 Fr. Matthew Cullen was
appointed rector to succeed Fr. Murphy. During his term of office
the college made great progress. In 1898 Most Rev. Dr. Foley made it
the diocesan college for Kildare and Leighlin; this was a fresh
access of prestige and importance. A handsome and commodious new
wing was added in 1902, and with this new accommodation the number
of boys increased considerably. Many academic distinctions were
secured. But it was in the religious side of the College life that
Fr. Cullen exerted himself most assiduously and his spiritual and
theological conferences had a lasting influence on those who were
fortunate enough to be his pupils. Even after he had become bishop,
his interest in the college never waned and when the College Union
was established in 1930, the "golden link which bound us all in
friendship, the keystone in that grand arch of Union, was the
genial, gracious, magnetic personality of Dr. Cullen.”
Fr. Edward O'Donoghue succeeded
him in 1909. A priest of generous and lovable character, to him is
attributed the College Chorus, a rousing song sung to the air of
"Deep in Canadian Woods":-
- By Barrow's banks in youth we've met
- And found a happy home.
- Our schoolboy friends we'll ne'er forget
- Tho' far apart we roam.
- We one and all, both big and small
- Will always fondly say:
- "Up, up Knockbeg, good old Knockbeg,
- Knockbeg my boys, hurrah!"
In October 1914 Fr. P. J. Doyle
became rector. Under his rectorship the college continued to make
good progress. He was the first past pupil of Knockbeg itself to
attain to this office. He was formerly attached to Carlow College,
where he so ably edited "The Carlovian."
Fr. Michael Donohoe. D.Ph.
succeeded him in November 1920. During his term as rector a kitchen
wing was built, a splendid new Pavilion was added to the College
grounds and electric light was installed in the College, The genial
personality of Dr. Donohoe is still remembered with affection by
many who mourn his early death. He died 12th October, 1927.
In November 1927 Fr. P. MacSuibhne
was appointed rector. The first Gaelic-speaking rector of Knockbeg,
he did much to forward the Irish language and Irish culture in the
College. Since 1927 many improvements were made, notably a
considerable addition to the old infirmary. The interior and
exterior of the College were thoroughly equipped and beautified. The
library was re-organised and a fine collection of books built up
while an effort was made to supply suitable books on the school
subjects to form a collection of local books and to collect every
scrap of literature on Irish. A fairly representative selection of
modern Catholic literature in all its branches was placed at the
disposal of 'the students who, as priests or laymen, were to be the
future leaders of Catholic Action in this diocese; a diocese in
which over a century ago every parish had its own little Catholic
library, in September 1929 domestic arrangements and nursing were
placed under the charge of two Sisters of the Little Company of
Mary. The College became one of the most efficient and up-to-date in
Ireland.
In 1930 the College Union was
established and in the same year appeared the first number of the
College magazine which became the organ of the students, past and
present, and to some extent a record of diocesan activities. Its
value as a record and portrayal of College events and persons will
only be fully-appreciated in the future: the absence of a similar
record for the years preceding 1930 is keenly felt by anyone who
wishes to write even the merest sketch of the history of the
college.