Sir, – In singing the praises of Irish Catholic education, Pádraig McCarthy (June 27th) is perpetuating a myth.
Educational performance in the first 50 years of the State was in fact dismal, as shown in a 1960s OECD report; in western Europe, probably only Portugal was performing as poorly. Contrary to statutory regulations, large numbers were leaving schooling at the age of 14 without even the minimal Primary Cert, often to a future of unskilled labouring on the building sites of Britain or to domestic service there. Less than 20 per cent of a generation made it to the Leaving Cert; as one who studied for that exam, Mr McCarthy belonged to an elite of about 3 per cent.
Could there be a clearer example of the “toxic intertwining” that Fintan O’Toole addressed in his piece (Opinion & Analysis, June 26th)?
The Catholic Church insisted at the time on control over education, so it cannot escape its co-responsibility.
Only in the 1960s did “official Ireland” begin to realise the gravity of the situation and to give education the priority it should have had in the first place. – Yours, etc,
Dr GERARD MONTAGUE,
Zaumberg,
Immenstadt,
Germany.