Gerald Molloy
Encyclopedia
Gerald Molloy was an Irish Roman Catholic priest, theologian and scientist.
, and subsequently went to Maynooth College. Here he applied himself to theology and the physical sciences.
He was barely 23 when in 1857 he became professor of theology at Maynooth, and continued to hold that chair until 1874, when he accepted the professorship of natural philosophy at the Catholic University of Ireland
. In 1883 he succeeded Dean Neville of Cork as Rector of the Catholic University, which office he occupied up to the day of his death.
He acted on the commission on manual training in primary schools, and filled the post of assistant commissioner under the Educational Endowments Act. As early as 1880 he became a member of the Senate of the Royal University of Ireland
, and remained so till 1882, when he was appointed to a fellowship in the same university. In 1890 he became a member of the governing board of that institution and at the time of his death was its vice-chancellor. He was also a member of the Board of Intermediate Education.
As a lecturer and skilled experimentalist, Molloy was very successful in dealing with scientific subjects and rendering them intelligible and interesting. Under the auspices of the Royal Dublin Society
, of whose council he was a member, he delivered a series of lectures on natural science, and in particular on electricity
. On one occasion he joined issue on the subject of lightning conductors with Sir Oliver Lodge.
At the time of his death, he was representing the Catholic University at the celebration of the fourth centenary of Aberdeen University, and was one of those on whom the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws at Aberdeen was conferred a few days before.
He also translated a number of passages from Dante
's Purgatorio, wrote of the Passion Play at Oberammergau, and was a frequent contributor to magazines.
Life
He was educated at Castleknock CollegeCastleknock College
Castleknock College is a private , secondary school for boys aged between 13 and 18, which is situated in the residential suburb of Castleknock, 8 km west of the city centre in Dublin, Ireland.-History:...
, and subsequently went to Maynooth College. Here he applied himself to theology and the physical sciences.
He was barely 23 when in 1857 he became professor of theology at Maynooth, and continued to hold that chair until 1874, when he accepted the professorship of natural philosophy at the Catholic University of Ireland
Catholic University of Ireland
The Catholic University of Ireland was a Catholic university in Dublin, Ireland and was founded in 1851 following the Synod of Thurles in 1850, and in response to the Queen's University of Ireland and its associated colleges which were nondenominational...
. In 1883 he succeeded Dean Neville of Cork as Rector of the Catholic University, which office he occupied up to the day of his death.
He acted on the commission on manual training in primary schools, and filled the post of assistant commissioner under the Educational Endowments Act. As early as 1880 he became a member of the Senate of the Royal University of Ireland
Royal University of Ireland
The Royal University of Ireland was founded in accordance with the University Education Act 1879 as an examining and degree-awarding university based on the model of the University of London. A Royal Charter was issued on April 27, 1880 and examinations were opened to candidates irrespective of...
, and remained so till 1882, when he was appointed to a fellowship in the same university. In 1890 he became a member of the governing board of that institution and at the time of his death was its vice-chancellor. He was also a member of the Board of Intermediate Education.
As a lecturer and skilled experimentalist, Molloy was very successful in dealing with scientific subjects and rendering them intelligible and interesting. Under the auspices of the Royal Dublin Society
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
, of whose council he was a member, he delivered a series of lectures on natural science, and in particular on electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
. On one occasion he joined issue on the subject of lightning conductors with Sir Oliver Lodge.
At the time of his death, he was representing the Catholic University at the celebration of the fourth centenary of Aberdeen University, and was one of those on whom the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws at Aberdeen was conferred a few days before.
Works
Among his works are:- "Geology and Revelation" (1870), a fuller treatment of a series of papers on geologyGeologyGeology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
in its relation with revealed religion, which appeared from time to time in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record; - Outlines of a course of Natural Philosophy (1880);
- Gleanings in Science : popular lectures on scientific subjects by Gerald Molloy D.D., D.Sc., London & New York, Macmillian and Co., (1888).
- Notes on Electric Lighting, by the Rev. Gerald Molloy, D.D., D. Sc. (M. H. Gill and Son),
- The Irish Difficulty, Shall and Will by Gerald Molloy, D.D., D.Sc., Blackie & Son, (1897).
He also translated a number of passages from Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
's Purgatorio, wrote of the Passion Play at Oberammergau, and was a frequent contributor to magazines.