Finances force All Hallows to close

The Dublin college whose auction of Jackie Kennedy letters, with a potential €3m value, had to be shelved this week has blamed funding and enrolment limits on a sudden decision to close.

All Hallows College said it plans a phased wind-down in an effort to allow students finish their courses, a decision that was welcomed by the Department of Education last night. It has 450 students on accredited degree courses, mostly in theology, philosophy and English literature and more than 70 staff, but is also believed to have around 1,000 students on continuing education courses.

A college statement said it had a growing financial deficit over many years and reserves had reached an unsustainable level, despite an extensive fund-raising programme.

It was hoped to raise funds from the sale of the letters written by the late US First Lady Jackie Kennedy to Vincentian priest Fr Joseph Leonard in the 1950s and 1960s.

However, following publicity about the archive and a High Court case taken by their auctioneers, it was decided this week to withdraw them from next month’s auction, where it was estimated the collection might have fetched anything from €800,000 to €3m.

All Hallows has six degrees listed for entry this autumn through the CAO, and the college said it will be in contact with current applicants, who will still have the option to choose other courses.

A 30-day statutory consultation period will begin in the next week with staff, who were told of the plan at a meeting yesterday.

“At this difficult time, students and staff are the main priority for the trustees, the governors and the management of the college. Every effort will be made to facilitate existing students in the completion of their courses,” it said.

The college said the option to increase enrolments was constrained by a cap on the number of undergraduates eligible for the Government’s free fees scheme.

The department said the college did not reach the cap on numbers of undergraduates for which it pays tuition fees over the last five years.

It reimbursed All Hallows with almost €440,000 in respect of 119 students on three eligible degrees for the current academic year, but up to 130 students’ fees could be funded annually.

Ex-taoiseach Bertie Ahern had strong ties with the north Dublin college, where his father was head gardener. All Hallows has been under the stewardship of the Vincentian congregation since 1892, having first opened in 1842 as a training college for missionary priests.