St. Malachy's College

St. Malachy's College (Irish: Coláiste Naomh Maolmhaodhóg) is the oldest Roman Catholic grammar school in the province of Ulster, and the third oldest in Ireland.

The college was founded in 1833 by Bishop William Crolly, about 50 years after the repeal of the penal laws, which had outlawed, among other things, the celebration of the Catholic Mass, and the provision for the education of the Catholics of Ireland. The school is located on the former site of Vicinage Park, just north of Belfast city centre. Its motto is "gloria ab intus" which translates from Latin as "glory from within".

St. Joseph's Seminary, the seminary for the Diocese of Down and Connor, was situated on the same campus. This was officially known as the Diocesan Seminary at St Malachy's, and colloquially as "the wing" due to it being a wing of the college building. The Diocesan Seminary moved site to the Cliftonville Road during the Christmas holidays of 2012, and has taken the name St. Malachy's Diocesan Seminary, in recognition of both its history and its future.

Saint Malachy

Saint Malachy (Middle Irish: Máel Máedóc Ua Morgair; Modern Irish: Maelmhaedhoc Ó Morgair) (1095 – 2 November 1148) was an Irish saint and Archbishop of Armagh, to whom were attributed several miracles and an alleged vision of 112 Popes later attributed to the apocalyptic list of the Prophecy of the Popes. He was the first native born Irish saint to be canonised.

Background

Viking raids on Ireland began around the start of the 9th century. The country was subsequently invaded and occupied; many monasteries were plundered; monks were put to the sword; churches were demolished; and libraries were burned. These disruptions, along with secular impositions by the invaders, produced a decline in Christian religious observance and moral standards established by Saint Patrick and other early missionaries. Apathy towards the Christian virtues increased, and by the 11th century some parts of Ireland had even returned to paganism.

Life

Malachy, whose family name was Ua Morgair, was born in Armagh in 1095. St. Bernard describes him as having noble birth. He was baptised Máel Máedóc (Malachy) and was trained under Imhar O'Hagan, subsequently Abbot of Armagh. Imhar was in sympathy with the aims of those who sought to reform the Irish church, and it was probably through his influence that Malachy became imbued with their principles. After a long course of studies Malachy was ordained priest by St Cellach (Celsus) in 1119.