Maynooth seminary

When catholic seminaries in France were closed by the Revolution, the Irish hierarchy asked to open one in Ireland. The British government approved, since it might remove young Irish priests from the contamination of foreign revolutionary doctrines. The government provided an annual grant. In 1845 Peel, as part of his reorganization of Irish higher education, increased the grant again. Peel's action was seen by the unbending Tories as yet another betrayal and there was massive petitioning against the bill.