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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.

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).

The papers provide an insight into the daily workings of the Mungret College, as well as the Jesuit community who resided there. The bulk of material relates to correspondence, deeds, leases, minutes, account books, custom books, photographs, diaries and journals. Includes reference to:

• the establishment of Mungret College in 1882 (including references to the Mungret Model Farm and school), purchase of the site and deeds;
• correspondence between Lord Emly, Tervoe, (1812-1894), Limerick and Fr William Ronan SJ (1825-1907) concerning Mungret;
• Fr William Ronan SJ (1825-1907) - biographical information, letters to Irish Fr Provincial on establishment of Mungret (1880-1882), fund-raising Tour (1882-1893), letters written by Fr Ronan SJ (1882-1896);
• lists, registers, catalogues and results of students to the Apostolic and Lay school;
• accounts for Mungret College (1882-1928);

Fr Thomas Morrissey SJ has researched the history of Mungret College and his research notes are included in the papers.