During the annual reunion of the Roman Catholics in Birmingham, several speakers expressed their support for the establishment of an Irish University that aligns with Catholic beliefs. Cardinal Vaughan, in a letter read at the event, said that Irish Catholics’ legitimate demand for education had already been acknowledged by the Church of England but still faced resistance from some English Protestants. He criticized these dissenting groups for trying to impose their principles and prejudices on the Irish people.
Dr. O’Dwyer, another speaker, noted that after four years of Unionist legislation in Ireland, there was a deeper antipathy toward England and a wider division between the two countries. Following these speeches, a resolution was passed calling on the government to adopt prompt measures to address the educational disabilities faced by Irish Catholics in the matter of university education.
Daily News (London) – Tuesday 16 January 1900
