Thomas Betagh (1737 – 16 February 1811) was an Irish

Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

, schoolteacher, and professor of languages at

Pont-à-Mousson Pont-à-Mousson () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France. Its inhabitants are known as ''Mussipontains'' in French. It is an industrial town (mainly steel industry), situated on the river Moselle. Pont-à-Mou ...

Jesuit scolasticate (France). Betagh established a number of free schools in Dublin, which taught over 300 boys. These schools also provided clothing for the most destitute of the pupils, where a total of over three thousand boys had been educated. The schools were afterwards known as the ''Dr Betagh Schools''.

Life

Betagh was descended from a branch of an old Roman catholic family in Meath, Ireland, which, through the Cromwellian confiscations, lost considerable estates.Gilbert, John Thomas. "Beltagh, Thomas", ''Dictionary of National Biography'', 1885-1900, Vol. 4 He was born in Kells,

County Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...

. His father was a tanner. Betagh was attended John Austin's school in Saul's Court in Dublin. At an early age Beltagh was admitted to the seminary of the

Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 ...

in France. He spent most of his Jesuit years of spiritual and intellectual formation in France and was ordained a priest at Pont-à-Mousson on 24 May 1766. He resided at

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

and

Metz Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle (river), Moselle and the Seille (Moselle), Seille rivers. Metz is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments ...

as a professor of languages before returning to Ireland in 1769. In

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

he worked with Fathers Austin, James Mulcaile SJ, and Fullham in the old chapel at Rosemary Lane, and taught at the school in Saul's Court. With them, he also assisted the secular clergy for years. In 1773 the Jesuits was suppressed by pope

Clement XIV Pope Clement XIV (; ; 31 October 1705 – 22 September 1774), born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 May 1769 to his death in September 1774. At the time of his elec ...

, so Betagh had to seek incardination into a

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...

. (The Order was restored only six months after his death.) He served as a curate, and succeeded the Rev. Field as parish priest of SS. Michael and John's on Exchange Street. The parish was located in one of the poorest areas of Dublin. Betagh established free schools in Schoolhouse Lane, off Cook Street, then in Skinner's Row, and finally in Smock Alley, catering for about 330 boys. Amongst his pupils were the future

Archbishop of Dublin The Archbishop of Dublin () is an Episcopal polity, archiepiscopal title which takes its name from Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Since the Reformation in Ireland, Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic successions to the title: ...

Daniel Murray, and the founder of Clongowes Wood Fr.

Peter Kenney Peter James Kenney (1779–1841) was an Irish Jesuit priest. He founded Clongowes Wood College and was also rector of the Jesuits in Ireland. A gifted administrator, Kenney made two trips to the United States, where he established Maryland as a ...

SJ who reestablished the Jesuits in Ireland, whose studies he sponsored. Betagh later became Vicar-General of the

Archdiocese of Dublin The Archbishop of Dublin () is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name from Dublin, Ireland. Since the Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic successions to the title: one in the Catholic Church and the other in the Church of Ire ...

. Until just before his death he taught each evening at these schools and provided clothing for the most destitute of the pupils, where a total of over three thousand boys had been educated. The schools were afterwards known as the ''Dr Betagh Schools''. The chapel in Rosemary Lane was in a ruinous state, but before Betagh died the foundation-stone of the new Church of SS. Michael and John in Exchange Street was laid, which was partially opened on Christmas Day, 1813. He died at his residence, 80 Cook Street. His funeral was attended by over 20,000 persons. His remains were interred in the Jesuits' vaults in Old St. Michan's, Church Street. About 1822 they were removed to the vault of his own church, SS. Michael and John, under the High Altar, where a monument to his memory was also erected. This was sculpted by his one time student (who had subsequently turned to sculpture), Peter Turnerelli. In 1990 his remains were moved to Glasnevin Cemetery.Thomas Betagh SJ
www.nuim.ie

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Betagh, Thomas 1737 births 1811 deaths 18th-century Irish Jesuits Irish schoolteachers Language teachers People from Kells, County Meath