St John Henry Newman’s legacy to Ireland is considerable; his legacy to the Catholic Church is immense. The Catholic University opened at Number 86 St Stephen’s Green on November 3rd, 1854. The Catholic University is the remote, although not direct, ancestor of University College Dublin, which was established under the Universities Act, 1908. Close to Number 86 St Stephen’s Green is another feature of Newman’s legacy to Ireland – the beautiful University Church dedicated to Our Lady Seat of Wisdom. A problem for Newman on his journey into the Catholic Church was the role of Mary.

Source: The Irish Times December 28, 2025 08:02 UTC