William Murphy

COUNTY KILDARE

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The National Seminary at Saint Patrick’s College in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland, is a significant institution with a rich history dating back to 1795. It has been a centre of religious education, serving the church in Ireland by training candidates for the priesthood.

Difference between the National Seminary and the University Campus

Saint Patrick’s College comprises both the National Seminary and the Pontifical University. However, these two entities, while sharing the same campus, are separate institutions with distinct roles. The National Seminary focuses on the formation of priests, while the Pontifical University specialises in the study of theology and philosophy and related areas.

Buildings of Interest

One of the most impressive buildings on the campus is the College Chapel. This the principal chapel of the college is considered one of the most beautiful places of worship in Ireland. Built between 1875 and 1891, the chapel has 454 carved stalls, making it the largest of its kind in the world. The chapel’s spire, added in 1895 to commemorate the college’s first centenary, stands at 273 feet. This makes it the tallest building in Leinster.

Another significant building is Rhetoric House, built in 1834. Formerly a residential house for trainee priests, it now hosts the Department of History.

The Grounds

The campus of Saint Patrick’s College is renowned for its beauty. The grounds are home to iconic buildings and exceptional landscapes, providing a serene environment for both study and reflection.

The Cemetery and the Ghost Story

The college cemetery is a significant part of the campus, with marked graves of past students and faculty. However, it is also associated with a chilling ghost story. The tale revolves around a room known as the ‘Ghost Room’ in Rhetoric House. In the mid-19th century, two young seminarians reportedly took their own lives in this room, nineteen years apart. The room has since been bricked up, but the story of its haunting past continues to intrigue visitors and students alike. Some stories claim that there were three suicides but I cannot find any supporting evidence.

These stories, while intriguing, are part of the rich tapestry of history and tradition that makes Saint Patrick’s College a unique institution. It’s important to remember that these tales represent a small part of the college’s long and distinguished history of education and service.

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More About The Ghost Room – I wrote This In May 2021

After a previous rain-shortened visit, I returned to Maynooth on a sunny afternoon and had the opportunity to explore the University Campus, including its intriguing cemetery

It may surprise many visitors to discover that Maynooth College has its own graveyard. The cemetery can be found past the Junior Garden on campus.

While the College was founded in 1795, the first to be buried in the new College Cemetery was Rev Francis Power from Cork, the College’s first Bursar, Vice President, and Professor of French from 1802, who died in 1817. Four members of the College staff, who died before 1817, were buried in Laraghbryan Cemetery on the Kilcock Road, west of the Campus.

There are a number of students, Sisters and staff resting in the College Cemetery. Many of the students died of consumption, as tuberculosis was called at the time. The Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul provided the healthcare for students and staff. The most recent burial was that of Maurice Dunne from Tralee (1939 – 2009). He had worked in the College since 1961 and died on his 70th birthday.

[Note: I noticed two new graves today 17 May 2021 which indicates that the cemetery is still used as intended].

Years ago I came across the following story: “If you visit Maynooth today, you might come across an old building on the campus called Rhetoric House. You might notice that one of the windows on the top floor is boarded-up and you might wonder why. If you ask someone, they will tell you this is The Ghost Room. Many years ago, students who went to Maynooth would live on the top floor of the building. There was one young man who was assigned to sleep in Room No.2. One day, when he didn’t show up for lectures, his friends went looking for him. They found his dead body lying in a pool of blood on the floor of Room No.2 with his throat slit from ear to ear. Clutched in his hand was a bloody razor and it appeared that he had taken his own life. Ireland was a Catholic country and, at the time, suicide was seen as a terrible sin.”

“The matter was hushed up by the college and the student was buried in an unconsecrated part of the college cemetery, away from the other graves.”

As you may have guessed, according to local legend, a strikingly similar tragedy is said to have occurred again the following year [note: according to the records the deaths were nineteen years apart]. Some claim, that three people died in a similar manner while in the same room. The official records indicate that the two students are buried within the walls of the graveyard and there is no mention of a third student.