2. IRELAND IN 1762 Penal Laws since 1695 Could own land ? NO Could vote ? A CATHOLIC Could receive an education ? Could hold public office ? Could carry weapons ? Could say or attend Mass ? BUT BY 1762 strict application of these laws had been reduced NO NO NO NO NO
3. EDMUND RICE BORN : PLACE: WESTCOURT, CALLAN, CO KILKENNY NAME: PARENTS: ROBERT RICE (FARMER) MARGARET RICE FAMILY: 2 OLDER STEPSISTERS, 4 OLDER and 2 YOUNGER BROTHERS FARM : 180 ACRES LEASED FROM LORD DESART. JUNE 1, 1762
4. WORK WATERFORD: Wealthy city Busy port 1000 SHIPS p.a. Departures to England, America, Newfoundland BUSINESS : Supplying food for voyages Apprentice to his uncle Michael at the age of 17
5. HIS LIFESTYLE Very successful in business He loved dancing, singing, hunting and boat-riding. Dressed in style. He attended Mass daily. Read and reflected on the bible. Visited the poor in their homes.
6. When he was 24 he inherited his uncle’s business. He lived in the fashionable Arundel Square. He fell in love with Mary Elliot. They married. Together they bought land and property and became a very wealthy couple.
7. TRAGEDY 1788: Expecting their first child Mary had a serious hunting accident and died as a result Their baby daughter Mary survived but was born with a serious disability She was cared for by Edmund’s family in Callan Edmund was devastated by his wife’s death. “ What was to be done?”
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9. HIS DECISIONS He was attracted to the religious life and thought of becoming an Augustinian HE SOUGHT ADVICE FROM FRIENDS. During one conversation with a friend, there was a loud commotion from a group of young people fighting on the street outside “ CAN’T YOU DO SOMETHING FOR THEM ?”
10. He wanted to equip people intellectually, morally and spiritually …. … . TO STAND ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET … TO CHANGE THE SOCIETY THAT CAUSED / ALLOWED THEM TO BE POOR This was very difficult, dangerous and radical especially in Penal Ireland. LIBERATION THROUGH EDUCATION HIS VISION OF EDUCATION
11. By 1800 He began by holding evening classes in his stores Two volunteers offered to help but they didn’t last long! People thought he was crazy and that the young people of Waterford couldn’t be educated
12. In 1802 He rented stables in New Street He hired and paid two assistants He converted them into classrooms
13. In 1802 PATRICK FINN THOMAS GROSVENOR Joined Edmund to teach in his brotherhood …… ..WITHOUT FEE OR REWARD He gave orders for a permanent monastery and school to be built. BEGAN TO WIND UP HIS BUSINESS INTERESTS
14. In 1804 He moved into ‘Mount Sion’ and established a school and religious community. COMMUNITY LIFE: They rose early, prayed together, had daily mass, taught all day, read scripture together and prayed again before going to bed. SCHOOL LIFE : Was equally demanding and focused on spiritual development of the young people
15. NIGHT CLASSES WEEKEND INSTRUCTION READING WRITING ARITHMETIC and BOOK-KEEPING, GEOGRAPHY NAVIGATION,MECHANICS, GRAMMAR…. RELIGION VISITS TO THE JAIL PEOPLE IN DISTRESS A tailors, a bakehouse and a school! Mount Sion
16. SOME SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES 1805 CARRICK-ON-SUIR 1816 THURLES 1862 NENAGH 1869 JAMES’ STREET (BELLE BANK) 1874 DOON 1900 CLONMEL 1963 LIMERICK (Ard Scoil Ris) 1829 LIMERICK, SEXTON ST 1858 ST JOSEPH’S, DROGHEDA 1866 CHARLEVILLE 1825 PRESTON (FIRST SCHOOL IN ENGLAND) 1829 O’ CONNELL SCHOOL, DUBLIN
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18. He is buried in Mount Sion. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE PRESS ALL ACROSS THE ENGLISH SPEAKING WORLD His remains rest in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Mount Sion, Waterford. BEATIFIED IN 1996
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Editor's Notes
House built in 1676. Yellow clay mixed with horsehair and straw. 4 bedrooms parlour , kitchen and hall. Cow-shed stable, hen-house, hay barn, dairy, kitchen garden and orchard a well. Wheat, oats, potatoes, flax. Sheep pigs, poultry. After being baptised, “Sacrament money” had to be paid to the Protestant rector. Margaret (nee Murphy nee Tierney) Tierneys and Rices lived next door to each other. Land leased for periods of 31 years. Annual rent of £300. Protestant Rector: £1600 p.a from tithes. Rices paid twice a year; 10s per acre of wheat potatoes, barley; 6s for meadow; 6p each for sheep and lambs.
Just after 1798 rebellion Big divide between merchant class and poor. Poor: diet of potatoes and milk. Pigs and sheep raised to pay the rent. Port second only to Hamburg. Quay ..half-mile long. One-third of merchants were Catholic. Michael Rice ..Barronstrand Street..two sons (Robert and Patrick) Pork was a large item of export to Newfoundland. Edmund lived in Balybricken.
1778 : Year before wedding his father died. Edmund named as executor by the father ( Close and trusted) Remains removed; final prayers said at the crossroads; priest not allowed to officiate in the graveyard by the church.
BLACK JOHNNY: negro slave boy on the quays. Edmund purchased his freedom. T Presentation for instruction and education. Provided with a house. Had successful pig-rearing project. Noted personality in the city and known for his piety. Italian boy; arrived in Waterford by barge from Carrick-on Suir.Seling pictures (prints) from a pack. No English except “Buy” Edmund instructed him and encouraged him. CARLO BIANCONI Established network of horse drawn transport…mayor of Clonmel. Retained great admiration and afffection for Edmund Rice. Helped establish Presentation nuns in Waterford.Acquired site on Hennesseys Road
Go to Rome; visit the catacombs; become a lay-brother with the Augustinians. Do in Waterford for boys what Presentation nuns were doing for the girls in Cork.
Found a purchaser - Mr Quan. Stable - two stories. 3 rooms downstairs into classrooms. Upstairs into accommodation for himself and assistants.
