Crescent College Comprehensive SJ, Limerick

Repository: Irish Jesuit Archives

Identity Statement

TitleCrescent College Comprehensive SJ, Limerick
Archive ReferenceIE IJA/SC/CRES
Web Link to this Entryhttps://iar.ie/archive/crescent-college-comprehensive-sj-limerick
Creation Dates1859-1992
Extent Medium16 boxes

Context

Creator(s): Irish Jesuits

  • Administrative History ↴

    The first Jesuit school in Limerick was founded by Father David Wolfe SJ (1528-c.1578) in 1565. Over the next three hundred years, the Jesuits presence in Limerick ebbed and flowed. By 1640, a Jesuit residence was established at Castle Lane and by 1672, a school was opened near St. Mary’s Cathedral. After an interval of eighty-six years from the Suppression of the Society in 1773, the Jesuits returned to Limerick in 1859 after Bishop John Ryan (1784-1864) had invited the Society to establish a school in the city. The school initially opened in 1859 as St. Munchin’s College on Hartstonge Street. The pioneer Jesuit community in 1859 were Frs. Edward Kelly (1824-1905) (Rector), Thomas Kelly (1829-1898), Peter Foley (1826-1893), Edmund Hogan (1831-1917), Matthew Saurin (1825-1901) and one scholastic, Mr. Matthew Russell (1834-1912). In January 1862, the Jesuits purchased a neighbouring residence, Crescent House. The church building was started in 1864, opened in 1868 and named after the Sacred Heart in 1869. The college had ceased to be a seminary for the diocese in 1867 and was renamed the Sacred Heart College in 1873. Commonly known as the Crescent College, it ceased to be a fee paying school in 1971 and became the Crescent College Comprehensive SJ. In 1973 the Comprehensive moved to a modern greenfield site at Dooradoyle. Later it became a co-educational school and the Crescent Preparatory School was closed in 1976.

  • Archival History ↴

    Material deposited from the Provincialate.

  • Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

    Official Transfer

Content & Structure

  • Scope & Content: Irish Jesuits ↴

    The bulk of material in the Crescent College Comprehensive SJ papers relate to: financial matters (1869-1990); community correspondence (1859-1992); performance and examination (1912-1966); pupils (1881-1974); school administration (1870-1971); school sports and theatre (1882-1969); deeds and leases (1809-1998); photographs (1884-1976).

  • Appraisal Destruction ↴

    All items retained permanently

  • Accruals ↴

    Periodic Accruals

  • Arrangement ↴

    Material was catalogued in 1999, 2007 and 2012.

    Papers of the Crescent College (1999)
    A. Community (1859-1948)
    B. College (1884-1967)
    C. Church (1896; 1934)
    D. Addenda (2000)
    E. Jesuit Property at The Crescent, Limerick
    F. History of The Sacred Heart Church, The Crescent (1866-1979)
    G. Correspondence with Jesuit Provincials (1888-1980)
    H. Correspondence with the Bishops of Limerick (1859-1924)
    I. Finance (1869-1980)
    J. School Activities (1932-1957)
    K. Foundation of Comprehensive School at Dooradoyle, Limerick (1966-1982)
    L. The Site at Dooradoyle, Limerick (1969-1979)
    M. Educational Matters (1975-1982)
    N. History of the Jesuit Community in Limerick (1928-1980)
    O. Correspondence relating to The Sacred Heart Church, The Crescent (1895-1965)
    P. Papers of Fr. Thomas Morrissey SJ (1968-1992)
    Q. Photographs (1974-1982)
    R. Outsize Photographs (1940-1960)
    S. Bound Volumes (1864-1974)
    T. Consultors’ reports

    Addenda (2007)
    A. The Jesuits in Limerick (1862-2006)
    B. Property (1877-1998)
    C. Sacred Heart College (1859-1998)
    D. Jesuit community at the Sacred Heart (1878-1997)
    E. Church activity and functions (1878-1991)
    F. Sodalities (1870-1998)
    G. Crescent finances: church and school (1855-1989)
    H. Church and College buildings: interior and exterior (1896-2002)
    I. Establishment of Crescent College Comprehensive at Dooradoyle (1969-1994)
    J. Education matters (1955-1967)
    K. Photographs of Limerick City
    L. Document list

Conditions of Access & Use

Access Conditions The Irish Jesuit Archives are open only to bona fide researchers. Access by advance appointment. Further details: www.jesuitarchives.ie
Conditions Governing ReproductionNo material may be reproduced without the written permission of the Archivist. Copyright restrictions apply. Photocopying is not available. Digital photography is at the discretion of the Archivist.
Creation Dates1859-1992
Extent Medium16 boxes
Material Language ScriptEnglish and Irish
Finding Aids Descriptive List Archive Web Link →

Allied Materials

Publication NoteFinegan SJ, Fr. Francis. “Limerick Jesuit Centenary Record 1859- 1959”. Limerick: 1959. Jesuit Year Book (1959) White, Anthony (Ed.). “The Crescent: Sacred Heart College and Crescent Comprehensive SJ 1859 - 2009”. Dublin: Messenger Publications, 2009.

Descriptive Control Area

Archivist NoteDamien Burke
Rules/ConventionsIGAD: Irish Guidelines for Archival Description. Dublin: Society of Archivists, Ireland, 2009. ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description. 2nd ed. Ottowa: International Council on Archives, 2000. National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names. Chippenham: National Council on Archives, 1997. Irish Guidelines for Indexing Archives. Dublin: Archives and Records Association, Ireland, 2013.
Date of Descriptions41518