Richard Mac Donnell (scholar) - Trinity College, Dublin

Trinity College, Dublin

Educated at Trinity College, Dublin (1800–1805), elected a scholar in 1803. In 1808 he was elected a lay Fellow at Trinity which allowed him to practise at the Irish bar. He was awarded his LL.D. in 1813 but gave up a legal career in favour of taking holy orders the same year. The remainder of his career was spent at Trinity College, Dublin as a Senior Fellow of the College (1836-1852), Professor of Oratory (1816–1852) and 'an efficient' Bursar (1836–1844), bringing the accounts of the collegiate estates into satisfactory order. In 1852, George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, appointed him the 29th Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, succeeding Franc Sadleir and taking up residence at the Provost's House. He held the position for fifteen years until his death in 1867.

He was one of the very few, who from a very early date, advocated Catholic Emancipation, at a time when such views were very unpopular within Trinity. His broad vision and liberal views encompassed both politics and education, far more so than his contemporaries, and the significant changes he brought about are testament to his firmness of character. His period of office is remarkable for the number of new statutes brought in, despite the prejudice he encountered, which almost revolutionized the college code of laws, giving Trinity 'a fresh impetus in its career and usefulness'. Another source described him as 'clever but very lazy'.

MacDonnell was said to have had 'an excellent dry sense of humor', demonstrated on one occasion when showing a lady around the impressive Trinity College Library, Dublin. She, clasping her hands together, exclaimed, 'Oh Mr. Provost, pray Mr. Provost, have you read all these books?', to which he replied, 'in time my dear lady, in time'. On another occasion, after the plates had been cleared between the courses of a dinner he was hosting, his butler quietly placed a sugar cube on his bald head. Engaging his guests on a serious subject, his parrot would by then have flown into the dining room and seated itself on the Provost's head to eat the sugar cube, as the Provost continued with his philosophical musings, giving the impression of being completely unfazed.