| Description | Reports and newspaper cuttings documenting some of the proposals regarding university education in the two years before the passing of the 1908 Act. A delegation from the College was to meet Augustine Birrell, Chief Secretary, in April 1907, to dispute the proposal in Bryce's Bill. James Bryce's [Chief Secretary of Ireland 1905-1906] proposal relating to QCG was that ;while the proposed single federal University should have constituent colleges in three of the provinces, the college of the fourth province should be deprived of its equality with the others, and of any share in the government of the University' ('Irish Times', 8 Apr 1907). The 'Irish TImes' also stated that none of the witnesses before the RObertson and Fry Commissions, whose evidence gave support to Bryce's view, had any connection with the West. The fall in numbers at the College was blamed on its regulation from university status when it became part of the Royal University and the lack of secondary education in Connaught. It was argued that if the College was 'so modified as to bring it into greater harmony with its surroundings, and to make it acceptable to all the people of Connaught' that it would quickly become presperous. [see A21/24 (22) Resolutions proposed for a public meeting in Galway on 8 Feb 1907]. |