St. Aloysius College, Galle & the Irish Connection
St. Aloysius College, Galle & the Irish Connection
Introduction
It is generally known that the College was established in 1895 by Jesuits from the Belgian Province of the Society of Jesus, & that later it was managed by Jesuits from the Neapolitan Province until the handing over of the College to the State in 1971.
The newly appointed Bishop of Galle, Rev. Joseph Van Reeth S. J. from Belgium who established the School , on his ad limina visit to Rome, toured UK & Ireland as well in order to identify suitable persons to augment the teaching resources at the School & as a result of this endeavour, among others, Rev. Fr. Dennis Murphy S.J., Rev. Fr. C. Piler S.J. and Rev. Fr. John Delaney S.J. from Ireland arrived in Ceylon.
This article is an attempt to focus on their contribution as well as the friction that arose at the initial stages between them & the Belgian Jesuits, from an Irish perspective, as recorded in the Irish Jesuit Archives & 2 books published in 2015 & 2021 respectively.
Rev. Fr. Dennis Murphy S. J. (1862-1943)
The first to arrive was Rev. Fr. Dennis Murphy S.J. in 1901. He was on the teaching staff for almost 9 years when he was appointed Prefect of Studies (Principal) in 1910. He served the school till 1921 in this capacity, until ill health forced him to return home.
The contribution made by Fr. Murphy, as recorded in local chronicles, has been outlined here: https://thuppahis.com/2021/03/21/highlights-of-the-jesuit-era-at-st-aloysius-college-galle/. in respect of the period 1910 to 1921.
" A highly intelligent and interesting man, Denis Murphy began his career in the Society in 1882, and after initial Jesuit studies arrived at Riverview (St. Ignatius College, Sydney) for regency in December 1888. He taught the public exam classes in Latin, Greek, French and Mathematics, and was an Assistant Prefect of Discipline until 1893. In the years 1893-94 he taught the lower classes at St Patrick's College (Sydney)) before returning to Ireland for theology. After tertianship he spent time in Ceylon & England."
It is on record that on his way back from Australia to Ireland, Fr. Murphy disembarked in Colombo & met the Irish Oblate Father who was Parish Priest at St. Phillip Neri's the Garrison Church, Colombo.
Fr. Murphy's obituary in the Jesuit Archives refers to his period at SAC as follows:
"In 1897, and after occupying the post of Prefect of Studies at St. Ignatius' College, Galway, for three years, he volunteered for school work in Galle. Ceylon, then under the care of the Belgian Jesuits. Monsignor Van Reeth, S.J., Bishop of Galle, had come to Europe in 1901 in search of a Head for his recently established school for native boys. Father Murphy offered himself for the position. Under his tactful and talented management, the college, from being a collection of mere floorless huts, where boys were taught the elements of the three Rs, became a secondary school of distinction, St. Aloysius College, where pupils were prepared for the Senior School Certificate of Cambridge. After twenty years of unbroken service in the tropics Father Murphy was compelled through ill-health to return to Ireland in 1922. "
As stated above, Fr. Murphy had almost 5 years’ experience as a teacher in Sydney, & 3 years’ experience as a Prefect of Studies in Galway, at the time of his arrival in Galle in 1901, 6 years after the school was started. Although he was appointed Prefect of Studies at the School only in 1910, it is more than likely that he was its driving force in the area of curricular & extra-curricular activities during the early teething period.
A detailed account of Fr. Murphy's contribution is contained in the following extract from a tribute paid to Fr. Murphy, by Fr. John Delaney, who succeeded him as Principal at SAC, appearing in the Irish Jesuit Archives :
Fr. Murphy's activities in Ceylon can be placed under two heads : (1) the educational, or (2) the directly spiritual . Arriving in Galle and taking charge of the Boys' School that had a roll of 82 pupils, he commenced his solid, persevering, self-sacrificing work that was to culminate in the great St. Aloysius' College of to-day - a fully equipped Secondary School with Elementary and Commercial Branches complete, side by side with an up-to-date Scientific Department containing a magnificent Laboratory that is regarded as one of the best in the Island.
Getting down to the very rudiments, Fr. Murphy began to lay the solid foundation of a thorough grasp of the English tongue for which the pupils of St. Aloysius' College became so renowned in later years. Parsing, analysis, rich vocabulary and correct idiom he hammered at continuously in season and out of season. People saw the wisdom of his plan and he himself was greatly encouraged when at the end of the first year he succeeded in getting his two Candidates through the Senior Local Cambridge Examination.
Then, he set about training his own pupils, first as monitors then as teachers, some of whom he sent to the Training College, gradually staffing the school with his own past pupils. During his regime he succeeded in capturing twice the much-coveted Government scholarship offered in open competition to all the Colleges of the Island. Before he returned to Ireland, he had the satisfaction of seeing over 500 boys housed in a magnificent set of buildings the new St. Aloysius College-designed and completed on really oriental lines.
His remarkable spirit of work had a contagious quality, too. His Old Boys testify even, to-day to that, and assert that with his great slogan "Certa Viriliter" emblazoned on the College Coat of Arms as their motto Fr. Murphy really infused a genuine spirit of work into their lives.
His directly spiritual work was equally successful. Starting off with a highly intensified spiritual life himself and remarkable for his spirit of prayer, love of poverty, penitential practises - rarely did he sleep on a bed - he gathered around him souls whose great desire was to be disciples of The Master. He was loved by the children for the wondrous charm of his simplicity. Converts reverenced him as their father. Children of Mary in the Convent and the College were anxious to place themselves under his spiritual direction. Members of religious congregations, many of whom hailed from Ireland, drew inspiration for their lives from his word and his example. His kindness, gentleness and discernment, his Christlike demeanour were an unfailing attraction for all."
Situation at the School during Fr. Murphy's time
It is appropriate to quote a letter written by Fr. Murphy to Mungret, the Apostolic School in Limerick, Ireland, prior to the arrival of the other 2 Irish Jesuits with a view to attracting new talent to the School, as it reveals, the state of affairs at the School, its needs at the time, the weaknesses observed among the boys, & the challenges faced . The letter may have been written around 1907, when the school had about 300 students.
" We need English, or still better, Irish, aid very badly here, especially for college work. We have now a nice college of some 300 dusky lads - and myself the only Paddy! We have white boys, chiefly of Dutch descent, called Burgers, and yellow boys - Singhalese and Portuguese - with many black boys of Tamil blood. The latter are industrious when made to be and by nature very gentle and obedient. The eastern memory is very good. The mind is acute but lacks reasoning power. All these qualities of mind and character are improving under European education.
Lying and theft seem second nature to young and old here - quite shocking at first. But our boys quickly learn that "honesty is the best policy" in the word and deed; so, I find them now truthful and honest when they find both esteemed and rewarded; while the opposite being punishment and disgrace.
Amongst my 300 boys I have not had for many months a complaint of loss of books [stolen] which was quite a plague formerly. Our Catholic boys have much piety.
At games we do well. The college holds the championship for football over the Buddhist, Anglican, and Wesleyan colleges - past and present. The Aloysian club holds the football championship of Galle.
Of course all this makes our lads proud of their college, and fosters esprit de corps. The evenings are quite cool enough for Association football but Rugby cannot flourish in the tropics.
I like the Ceylon climate better than Ireland's. We have no winter, nor is the heat too great; a fresh land or sea breeze constantly blows. I hope some more will come to us from Mungret.
The East has greatest need for English speakers." (Morissey, 2015)
Bishop Van Reeth's earlier endeavours & Father Murphy's letter resulted in the arrival of 2 Irish Priests in 1908 & 1909.
Rev. Fr. Carolus Piler S. J.
Fr. Piler was the second Irishman to arrive at SAC in 1908 as a Scholastic, but sometime after the arrival of Fr. John Delaney in 1909, he was allowed to proceed to Calcutta for his theological studies, & from there he appears to have been posted elsewhere.
Rev. Fr. John Delaney S. J. (1883-1956)
The next to arrive was Fr. John Delaney. He first arrived at the school in 1909 as a Scholastic & served under Fr. Murphy, who was appointed Prefect of Studies (Principal) in 1910.
With the arrival of Fr. Delaney, there were now 3 Irishmen in the School, & it would have been natural for them to form a group of their own & be together. They also had a different outlook on what constitutes a holistic education, with their emphasis on extra-curricular activities to mould the character of their students, as found in the public schools in the UK & Ireland. The Belgian Jesuits on the other hand, placed more emphasis on spiritual activities, & these different approaches had resulted in a certain amount of friction between the 2 groups at this stage. In 1909, Fr. Feron, the Superior of the School, had conveyed in writing to the Jesuit Provincial in Belgium about his concerns in this regard. However, with the passage of time, & progress made by the School in Studies as well as the acceptance of the importance of extra-curricular activities by the school community, these differences appear to have been resolved & harmony had been restored within a short period of time. (Morrissey, 2015).
Fr. Delaney was undoubtedly an asset & his contribution to & departure from the School in 1913 is described as follows:
" He made a considerable impression not only by his work in the classroom but by his cheerful enthusiasm, energy & organising ability with respect to boy scouts, school teams & even activities outside the classroom ", so that at the time of his departure for theological studies , "local newspapers of the time carried articles about the parties & speeches given in his honour by the school authorities & even external organisations." (Burke, 2021).
The above occasion, as reported in the newspapers, is described in much detail in another publication. Several group photographs had been taken of him with the College Staff, Cambridge Forms, College Sports Club & St. Mary's Society. A function had been organised at the Catholic Club which took the form of a social evening, where refreshments were served, & the Fife & Drum Band entertained those present. An address was read & he was presented with some valuable Ceylon curios. At the farewell function held in the school, the staff & boys presented him with an album of photographs, the Superior of the School, Rev. Fr. Olivier Feron addressed the assembled School & complimented him for his services & hoped that he would return. (Morissey, 2015)
After his theological studies, Fr. Delaney served as Chaplain to the Irish Forces during the 1st World War from 1916 to 1919. It is pertinent to point out that Morissey (2015) & Burke (2021) acknowledge the assistance rendered by John R. de Silva, Editor of the Aloysian Newsletter to unearth many letters of Fr. Delaney had written from the front in 1917-1918 to Rev. Fr. Olivier Feron, then Superior (Rector) of SAC.
He returned to Ceylon in 1921 to take over duties as Principal of SAC from his predecessor, Fr. Murphy. At the time SAC had 500 pupils. He functioned in this capacity till 1925. (Burke, 2021).
He was then "entrusted with the work of developing & furnishing St. Mary's College Kegalle. " After some time, he had been moved to the church where he became an outstanding preacher. He had undertaken both these assignments with his usual enthusiasm & energy, but in 1932 he had returned to Dublin, due to ill health. (Burke, 2021).
The Irish Jesuit Archives refer to his assignments in Ceylon as follows:
"During the twenty years he spent in Ceylon Fr. Delaney rendered valuable services to the cause of education in that country, where, in St. Aloysius College, Galle, he succeeded another Irishman, the late Fr. Denis Murphy, as Principal. He was responsible for the building and equipment also of St. Mary's College of the Society of Jesus at Kegalle, with a roll of 600 students."
Unlike in the case of Fr. Murphy, it is unfortunate that there is no reference to his specific achievements as Principal of SAC, either in the available local chronicles or in the Irish Jesuit Archives / publications, but it can be assumed that he continued the good work done by Fr. Murphy with the same enthusiasm & energy, which he displayed earlier as a Scholastic. However, it was during this period that the New Science /Reading Room / Library Wing of the School was opened, a Lighting Plant to light up the School, Cathedral & the Convent was installed, the SAC Old Boys Association was formed & the Sports Meet was held in the Galle Esplanade for the first time.
Conclusion
The Belgian Jesuits funded the school & managed it with distinction in the early stages & the Neapolitan Jesuits did likewise later. However, the Belgian Bishop of Galle, Rev. Joseph Van Reeth S. J. who established the School had the foresight to invite the Irish Jesuits to help him raise its standards & it is due to the innovations introduced by the Irish Jesuits that the School gained recognition as one of the best schools in the island, (almost like a public school in the UK), & resulted in influential parents from all over the island deciding to send their children to the School as Boarders for their education.
There was an Irish presence in the School from 1901 to 1925, & from 1910 to 1925 they were in charge as Prefects of Studies.
Ceylonese Jesuits like Fr. S. G. Perera S. J. (Historian) & Fr. P. N. Peiris S. J. (Prefect of Studies 1949-1962) also figured prominently & contributed immensely towards maintaining/uplifting the standards of the School.
K. K. de Silva
(SAC 1945-1958)
Web References
Burke, Damien, Irish Jesuit Chaplains: in the First World War, 2021. https://books.google.lk/books Accessed 15 Oct. 2021.
Dennis Murphy S. J. & John Delaney S. J.
https://www.jesuitarchives.ie/actor/browse?subquery=St.+Aloysius+College++galle Accessed 14 Oct. 2021
Morissey J, From Easter Week to Flanders Field - the Diaries of John Delaney 1916 to 1919, 2015. https://books.google.lk/books Accessed 15 Oct. 2021.
Strong, David, “The Australian Dictionary of Jesuit Biography 1848-2015”, 2nd Edition, Halstead Press, Ultimo NSW, Australia, 2017 - ISBN: 9781925043280. Accessed 15 Oct. 2021.
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