e 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 influence, due to historical causes, the