Laurentian Society
[citation needed] This society was named after Saint Laurence O'Toole (Lorcán Ua Tuathail in Irish), a bishop of Dublin and an abbot of Glendalough.
Once these laws were abolished, "Catholics and Dissenters were excluded from Trinity College by the extension of religious tests in 1637.
Even after their removal in 1773–74, students could not hold scholarships or fellowships without taking oaths which were anathema to the Catholic faith.
[18] There were also some other smaller controversies between the President of the Laurentian Society, Donal O'Sullivan and Archbishop John Charles McQuaid, such as one arising in The Irish Times.
"[22] It further stated: "We publicly renew our request to the appropriate ecclesiastical authorities to accept the invitation of our college, staff and students to appoint a resident chaplain and to establish a school of theology.
We urge our fellow students, their parents and our pastors to consider the responsibility that is theirs to solve, the problems created by legislation.
"Before the June meeting at Maynooth of the Irish bishops, the Laurentian Society hope to send a letter to all Irish and British bishops, quoting the Vatican II document which states that all non-Catholic universities and institutions should have a Catholic chaplain, suitably qualified to deal with the problems of students.
Perhaps the June meeting will decide to release Trinity from its exclusive position as the only university in the world that is 'out of bounds' to Catholics.
[33] For instance, on Friday 15 February 1963, the society celebrated its tenth anniversary with a public meeting at the GMB where some speakers referred to several socio-political and religious issues.
[36] Finola Kennedy asserts that Frank Duff, the founder of the Legion of Mary, was a guest of the society.
(member of Parliament) spoke about European integration; one in which the Chief Justice Mr. Cearbhall O'Dalaigh spoke about Ireland's role as a small nation;[38] and one in which the project of a University for Limerick was discussed, attended by Mr. G. O'Malley, chairman of Limerick Students University Project Committee, who had a controversy with Mr. Michael Adams, representative of the Union of Students in Ireland.
[citation needed] The Laurentian Society was also involved in the university reaction to the White Paper on the Irish Language of 1965,[original research?]
Membership of these overlap, and it was said that the college Gaelic teams were chosen in the Laurentian rooms and consisted of Irish-speaking members of Cumann Gaelach.
[45] Indeed, "[t]he Cumann Gaelach and the Laurentian Society provided the focal point for the Gaelic Athletic Association club in Trinity College] activities".
as a "vital society" and one of the "visible pinpoints of light among younger age groups" of Irish Catholics.
