The First 75 Students
The College opened its doors to the first set of students on 21 September 1901. Of the 75 students who registered on the opening day, 25 were classified as ‘one-year’ students.
These were students who had previous experience of teaching, either as principals or assistants, and they were entitled to an exemption from the first year of the course. The others were known as ‘Queen’s Scholars’ and they entered for the two-year course of training. Of the 75 students, 11 were from Meath, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan; six from Wexford and Kildare, 17 from the west and the remaining 41 from Munster.
One of these students (1901-2), Mollie O’Doherty, kept in close contact with the College all her life. Recalling her training days, she wrote,
The happiest days of my life were spent in Mary Immaculate. The College was not as well equipped then as it is now but everything was done to make us happy. In dress we retained the “old look” and some of us never changed that style in later years. The Bishop, Dr. O’Dwyer, visited us frequently and took a deep interest in our progress!
Mary Immaculate College Annual, 1950, pg 12.
Passing on the Torch - a History of Mary Immaculate College 1898-1998 (Published 1998), pg 9.
