National Board of Education – Dr. Philpotts and the Friar

Source: Chester Chronicle, Friday 08 September 1837

The reader need not be told that, during the entire of the last session, Committees of both Houses of Parliament were almost unremittingly engaged in an investigation of certain charges, made by Docter Phillpotts, and others against the National Board. All manner of witnesses were called from the most remote corners of Ireland-from Eyre Connaught to Dingle-a-Couch. Amongst the witnesses summoned to appear before their Lordships’ Committee, was the Rev. Dr. Smyth, a Dominican Friar, in the convent of Esker, county of Galway.

Dr. Smyth having been ushered into the august presence of Dr. Philpotts, and the Lords’ Committee, was examined at great length by the aforesaid Dignitary. The charge against him was that he had celebrated Mass in the School-room, contrary to the orders
of the National Board. We cannot now enter into the particulars of the examination, though they are very curious and very honourable to Dr. Smyth. A few statements, however, we shall venture to make. Having been introduced by the Earl of Shrewsbury, he was asked concerning the locality and condition of his school. He stated that it was at a place called Esker, in the county of Galway, where a convent of Dominican friars had been established since 1601. At that period, owing to the horrible persecution of Queen Elizabeth’s Generals, his predecessor’s having been driven out of their convent at Athenry, which was burnt to the ground, escaped to Esker, and hid themselves in some cabins in the bog (Esker means in Irish, a bog or marshy place), that only four of them survived the butchery, and that the only thing they carried away with them was a Bible in the Irish language, still preserved as a most sacred deposit in the Convent of Esker. [By the way, this version must be more ancient than Bishop Bedell’s, it is, at all events, a proof, if such were wanted, that the Bible, in early Catholic times, was translated into
all the languages of Europe.] He was then asked concerning the school, and whether he had a plan of it to exhibit to the Peers. Doctor Smyth produced his plan – indicating that the building was large, divided into an upper and lower story-one for the boys, the other
for the girls-and adjoining to which was erected a neat little Catholic chapel.

The Rev. Gentleman was asked as to the funds by which such a large edifice could be erected. ” How did you contrive to build it ?” said Dr. Philpotts. “I built it with a pony, bridle, and saddle,” returned the friar. “What! a pony?” “Yes, my Lord,” said
Dr. Smyth ; “being desirous to cultivate the moral waste around me, I sold my pony, bridle, and saddle for ten pounds, and set about begging-for I am a mendicant friar-to raise funds for my school. With the blessing of God I raised upwards of thirteen hundred pounds-four hundred of which the good Earl of Shrewsbury presented me with. I set about my building, and it prospered. I built the school house and the
chapel, of which this is the plan. Without having parish or diocese I succeeded.” The statement made a visible impression on their Lordships, and they were silent for a moment or two, when Dr. Philpotts asked Dr. Smyth had he not an oratory in his school room, at which mass was celebrated? He answered in the affirmative. “Is not this contrary to the regulations of the Board of Education ?” quoth Philpotts. He admitted it. Why then did you continue it ?” ” Because it was my own. Because I built it with the contributions of the pious, and because my school was not then in connection with the National Board. “But”, said Philpotts, it is now in connection with the Board .–
“Yes.” Was the oratory in the school-room, while it was in connection? ” Yes,-for a time.” Did the Board communicate to you on the subject? “They did-they ordered me to remove it.” Did you comply ?
“No; I could not, and would not, remove the altar until the chapel was roofed in.” Then you did on the instant? “Not on the instant, but on the day.”

As Doctor Smyth was leaving the Committee-room, he turned to the Bishop of Exeter, and addressed him in these words, “Who knows, Doctor Philpotts, but you would subscribe something to the finishing of my little chapel.” The Lords laughed at the simplicity of the Friar, all but he of Exeter-who started up in a rage, clapped his arms akimbo, and roared out,

” Sir, do you not know that I am the Lord Bishop of Exeter,
and that you have offered an insult to a Peer of Parliament.” Poor Doctor Smyth, totally unconscious that he had done wrong, apologised to his Lordship, and preferred his petition to the Prelate, as my Lord Bishop of Exeter. But Philpotts was inexorable, his dignity had been wounded-and, turning to the Bishop of Killaloe, who was present, he said-“My Lord Bishop of Killaloe, do they ever call you Dr. Sandes, in Ireland?” The Bishop rose quietly, and replied-” Every day of my life, my dear Lord, and I don’t feel myself in the least affronted.”

The Lords laughed-even Haddington and Wicklow -and it is whispered in certain circles, that even the Bishops who were present enjoyed the fun-all but Philpotts ; he looked as black as thunder-” grinning horribly a ghastly smile.”

We now proceed to state the consequence of this scena. Doctor Smyth had involved himself in expense to masons, carpenters, &e., to the amount of two hundred pounds and more: he was even obliged to borrow his viaticum to London. On leaving the Committee, the Marquis of Lansdowne asked for his card, and the next day presented him with £20. He also received several other contributions, many of them anonymous; and before he left London, be had nearly as much as liquidated his debt.- Dublin Post.