History of National Science Museum, Maynooth

Maynooth College Museum was established as a Museum of Ecclesiology in 1934 by a resolution of the Trustees of the College. Dr. William Moran, Professor of Dogmatic Theology was appointed by them as its first Curator. The Museum was to be a repository for various objects of Ecclesiastical and College interest, especially those which were linked with the researches and pioneering work of former Maynooth Professors. It has also been enriched by the benefactions of former Maynooth students and friends. Noteworthy amongst the many benefactors we find the name of Very Rev. John O'Ryan P.P. of the Parish of St.Nicholas and St.Myra in Dublin, himself an ardent collector of ecclesiastical material - who bequeathed his very fine collection to the College Museum. At present, the College Museum has two sections, one devoted to Ecclesiology and the other to Science, each cataloged. The science section is published under the title 'The Scientific Apparatus of Nicholas Callan and other Instruments' by Maynooth College and Samton Ltd.

In 1942 on the resignation of Professor William Moran, the Trustees appointed the Very Rev. Dr Patrick J. McLaughlin, Professor of Experimental Physics and later Vice-President of the College, to be curator. This post he held until 1957. He transferred to the Museum all the Callan apparatus, including induction coils, electromagnets, the 'repeater', condensers, electric motors and batteries - amongst these his cast-iron cells, which were also manufactured by E.M. Clarke of London, who sold them commercially. These items had been stored in the basement of Stoyte House, then as now, part of the Department of Experimental Physics.

Professor McLaughlin also carried out extensive researches on Callan's publications in Sturgeon's Annals of Electricity, in the Philosophical Magazine and also in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. In Studies (1936, Volume 25, pp. 253-269) he gave an account of these and, in 1965, to mark the centenary of Callan's death, he published Nicholas J. Callan - Priest Scientist, 1799-1864. It can be truly said that he rescued Callan's pioneering work from oblivion and established beyond doubt that Callan was the inventor of the induction coil.

In 1953 (revised version 1955), Professor McLaughlin published a catalogue of all exhibits in the Museum - the Tostal Catalogue. The Rev. Professor Padraig O'Fiannachta, curator from 1958 to 1973, published a 'mini-catalogue' dealing with some of the more important exhibits. It is still available. He also added some exhibits of national importance to the collection.

In March 1974 the then Curator, the Rev. Michael T. Casey, O.P., Professor of Chemistry was appointed. He made an inventory with detailed measurements of all scientific instruments in the Museum. This inventory was incorporated in Dr Mollan's Irish National Inventory of Historic Scientific Instruments (Interim Report, 1989), and may be regarded as the beginning of the scientific catalogue.

In September 1990 Dr. N.E. McKeith was appointed assistant curator, reflecting the continued interest in the museum by the Department of Experimental Physics. The Ecclesiastical catalogue, a further revision of the Tostal 1995 catalogue, has been carried out by Dr. N.E. McKeith. A vast range of exhibits from vestments, alter plate, penal crosses etc. are on display. Clearly each section of the collection could and perhaps should deserve a catalogue in its own right.

After the death of Rev. Michael Casey, Dr. Niall McKeith was appointed museum curator in 1999. For information on Maynooth College Museum send an e-mail to Dr. Niall McKeith.