University History - Timeline
1854
The years after Catholic Emancipation in
Ireland (1829) while pocked with intermittent political upheaval,
famine and emigration, saw the majority population gradually gain a
foothold on the rungs of education and influence.
In 1854, the movement spearheaded by Cardinal Cullen and led by John Henry Cardinal Newman, succeeded in opening the doors of a new university. This made higher level education accessible to a broad sweep of Irish people, creating a new class of educated Irish who would become the civil servants, the politicians, the lawyers, the architects, the historians and philosophers, the authors and playwrights, the doctors and engineers - the thinkers and doers who were to shape Irish society into the proud nation we are today.
The Catholic University opened its doors on the feast of St Malachy, 3 November 1854. On that day the names of seventeen students were entered on the register; the first name entered was that of Daniel O'Connell, grandson of the Liberator.
The university opened with three houses: 86 St Stephen's Green, with was known as St Patrick's or University House, under the care of Rev. Dr Michael Flannery; 16 Harcourt Street, known as St Lawrence's under the care of Rev. Dr James Quinn, who also had his school there; and Newman's own house, 6 Harcourt Street, known as St Mary's, under Newman's personal supervision.
1855
The Catholic University Medical School was opened in 1855 in Cecilia
Street. The Medical School was the Catholic University's great success
story; by the end of the century it had become the largest medical
school in the country. After 1908 it became the Medical Faculty of UCD.
1856
The beautiful University Church was opened in 1856 beside 86. Apart
from religious services it was used also for public university
functions and occasions such as the opening of academic sessions and
the making of awards.
1861
Dr Bartholomew Woodlock appointed Rector and served until he became
Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise in 1879. In this period he attempted
to secure a site of 34 acres at Clonliffe West but the scheme collapsed
when expansion of the railway system on the north side of Dublin cut
across the site. He then turned his attention to expanding along St
Stephen's Green and over these years bought from No. 82 to 87.
1879
Monsignor Henry Neville, Dean of Cork appointed Rector (while still
retaining his role as Parish Priest in a Cork parish).
The University Education (Ireland) Act 1879 brought in by Disraeli's government led to the establishment of the Royal University of Ireland (incorporated by charter in 1880) which was a non-teaching, degree-awarding institution.
1882/83
The Catholic University reorganized in order to avail of the indirect
endowment from the state through the Royal University of Ireland. The
St Stephen's Green institution was renamed University College and its
management was transferred to the Jesuits.
1883-1888 and 1897-1909
Fr William Delany SJ appointed first president of University College.
1884
Poet and Jesuit, Gerard Manley Hopkins appointed a fellow of University College.
Throughout this period, despite their strong allegiance, Delany and Cardinal William Walsh disagreed on the position of University College within the Royal University. Walsh wished it to develop as a Catholic university alongside and equal to Trinity College. Delany did not.
1894-1909
The number of first class distinctions in Arts awarded by the Royal
University to University College was 702 compared with a total of 486
awarded to the combined Queen's Colleges of Belfast, Galway and Cork.
Names associated with University College as students, academics or both during this period included: James Joyce (whose room in Newman House is preserved as it was), Tom Kettle, Francis Skeffington, Francis Cruise O'Brien, Arthur Clery, Fr Tom Finlay SJ, Pádraig Pearse, Hugh Kennedy, Eamon de Valera, Eoin MacNeill, Mary Hayden, Agnes O'Farrelly, and J A Costello. Given such talent and the revolutionary fervour in the contemporary political and cultural life of the country, it is hardly surprising that there was an amount of student unrest during this period, especially during loyalist speeches by the Chancellor, the Earl of Meath and the playing of "God Save the King" at conferring ceremonies.
1908
Irish Universities
Act brought into being the National University of Ireland with its
constitutent University Colleges - Dublin, Galway and Cork, and led to
the demise of the Royal University and the Jesuit-run University
College.
Dean of the Medical School, Dr Denis Coffey appointed first president of UCD. Coffey was to hold the position for 30 years. The Medical School in Cecilia Street became the UCD Medical Faculty. The campus covers, Earlsfort Terrace, Cecilia Street, College of Science Merrion Street, Albert College Glasnevin and St Stephen's Green.
36 chairs and 15 lectureships established focusing on: medicine, celtic studies, classics, modern languages, english, political economy, mathematics, philosophy, education, history, national economics, civil engineering, mathematical physics, experimental physics, chemistry, geology, zoology, architecture, commerce, law, botany, and pure mathematics.
The Faculty of Commerce established.
1911
Land donated by Lord Iveagh helps the university expand in Earlsfort Terrace/Hatch Street/ St Stephen's Green.
1913
University Park, Terenure became the base of UCD sports clubs between
1913 and 1934 - although the landlord would not sell the site to the
university.
1916
A number of junior staff and students participated in the Easter Rising
including: Michael Hayes (French) who was at Jacobs, Liam O Briain
(French) who was in St Stephen's Green and the College of Surgeons,
Louise Gavan Duffy (Education), who was in the GPO, James Ryan (fifth
year med student) in charge of temporary hospital inside the GPO, James
Sweeney, (engineering student) who was also in the GPO.
1922
The gradual building expansion led the university into severe debt
which was eventually covered by the Provisional Government in August
1922 just a few days before the deaths of Arthur Griffith and Michael
Collins.
1926
University Education (Agriculture and Dairy Science) Act transferred
the Royal College of Science in Merrion Street and Albert Agricultural
College in Glasnevin to UCD.
1933
The Grounds Committee identifies piece of land on the Stillorgan Road
as a suitable location to purchase and develop playing fields and
sports facilities. Belfield House on 44 acres is bought.
1940-1947
Dr Arthur Conway appointed president. During this period various plans
were developed but failed to succeed to expand along Iveagh Gardens,
Hatch Street and Earlsfort Terrace.
1945
Dr Michael Tierney edited "A tribute to Newman".
1947
Dr Michael Tierney appointed president. Tierney conceived the scheme of
a new UCD on a suburban site and became intimately involved in UCD's
fever of purchasing several hundred acres in the neighbourhood of
Belfield over the next 17 years. The plan was to develop an
architectural harmony in the grouping of buildings, landscaping and
planting of trees, creating a sense of unity to faculties then on
different campuses, with sports grounds and residences incorporated
into the scheme. The inspiration for the plan came mostly from
universities in Stockholm and Goteborg in Sweden as well as some models
from the US.
The "Tierney Era" was characterized by excitement, driven by the conviction of the man.
1948
Government purchases 20 acres for a new broadcasting house.
1949
University purchases Montrose on 23 acres and Whiteoaks (University Lodge) on 34 acres.
1951
Merville on 60 acres is acquired.
1953
Woodview on 18 acres bought.
1954
Byrne's fields (42 acres) purchased.
1957
Montrose exchanged for Ardmore.
1961
Roebuck Grove on 35 acres purchased.
1962
Sod turned on Science Block at Belfield. In 1962 Lyons Estate,
Newcastle, County Dublin, purchased as the field experimental and
teaching facility of the Faculty of Agriculture.
1964
Dr Jeremiah Hogan appointed president (1964-1972).
Science moves in to new campus.
1967
15 acres of the Roebuck Castle land bought. Minister for Education,
Donogh O'Malley, proposes plan to merge UCD and Trinity.
1969
Commerce transfers to Belfield.
1970
Arts and Law move to Belfield.
1971
13.4 acres of Roebuck Castle land added.
1972
Dr Thomas Murphy appointed president (1972-1985).
Water tower completed
1973
Library opens.
1974
Minister for Education, Richard Burke, TD announces that there should
be three university groupings: UCD, Trinity and the NUI, comprising UCC
and UCG. St Patrick's Maynooth was to have the option of becoming a
constitutent college of any one of the three universities. The National
Institutes of Higher Education in Limerick and Dublin were to be
established with the capacity to evolve into constitutent colleges or
autonomous degree-awarding institutions. Although UCD was in favour of
this development, Trinity was not and the plan fizzled out and
disappeared off the Government agenda.
1979
Agriculture transfers on to Belfield campus.
1980
Richview and 17.4 acres bought. Architecture moves in there.
1981
Sports Complex opens.
1985
University Industry Centre completed. Student Club opened.
1986
Dr Patrick Masterson appointed president. (1986 - 1993)
1989
Engineering building opens.
1990
Carysfort College, Blackrock on 19 acres bought. First student village (Belgrove) opened.
1992
Second student village (Merville) opened. The Centre for Film Studies established.
1993
Dr Art Cosgrove appointed president (1994 - 2003).
1994
O'Reilly Hall opened.
1999
The Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research and the
Institute for the Study of Social Change founded, marking a new era
with an emphasis on internationally recognized research.
2001
The Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology a collaboration in the
chemical sciences between UCD, TCD and the RCSI established after being
awarded 126 million Euro by the Higher Education Authority's Programme
for Research in Third Level Institutions
2002
The Veterinary School and Teaching Hospital and The Quinn School of
Business for undergraduate Commerce students opened. The Humanities
Institute of Ireland established under the Higher Education Authority's
PRTLI. Urban Institute also established.
2003
NovaUCD, a 110 million Euro Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre
opened. The purpose-built centre was funded by a public/private
partnership.
UCD purchased the Philips site and buildings adjacent to the Belfield campus at Clonskeagh, to facilitate the relocation of the Departments of Civil and Agricultural & Food Engineering from Earlsfort Terrace, bringing more of the remaining off campus elements of the University to Belfield.
2004
Dr Hugh Brady appointed president.
UCD celebrates 150th Anniversary.
