All Hallows – the end of an era!
Press release from All Hallows…It is with huge regret and deep sadness that All Hallows College today announces its intention to wind down the college.
The college, which is not in receipt of state grants, has been operating at an increasing deficit over many years, and although in recent times it has embarked on a stringent programme of sustainability – including increasing its activities and embarking on an extensive fund-raising programme - the challenging landscape of today’s third level education arena has led to a diminishing of the college’s reserves to an unsustainable level. In addition, the option of growing enrolment figures has been constrained by the cap on the numbers of undergraduates eligible for the free fees scheme. The wind down of the college will begin immediately and will be conducted in a phased and orderly fashion.
At this difficult time, students and staff are the main priority for the Trustees, the Governors and the management of the college. At present, there are 450 students on accredited degree courses and in excess of 70 staff. Every effort will be made to facilitate existing students in the completion of their courses and the college’s administration will be in contact with current applicants. The college will commence a consultation period with its staff in the coming week.
Today’s decision has been taken mindful of the long history of the college, its proud traditions and its contribution to education in Ireland. All Hallows college has educated generations of leaders and professionals; serving communities in every corner of the world since 1842, and has been under the stewardship of the Vincentian Congregation since 1892.
All Hallows website
For the past two years, I have been
fantasizing about how to get back to Ireland... and this was one possibility I
was entertaining. A friend of mine, an American Vincentian, has been the
president of this college, and I was planning to send him copies of my books
and write to him about my coming over there for a semester to teach.
Well, I never got around to writing
to him, not that it would have mattered or changed anything.
Sigh. So sorry for this
school, its professors and students, as well as for myself.
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