| Summary: | This thesis examines three major themes of Catholic education in Northern Ireland. Firstly, the thesis analyses the Catholic authorities' efforts to maintain clerical control of Catholic schools in Northern Ireland from 1921 to the Education (Northern Ireland) Order of October 1993, concentrating upon the events surrounding the major education laws of 1923,1925,1930,1947 and 1968, and the Orders - in - Council of 1989 and 1993. The thesis also estimates the financial and educational price paid by Northern Ireland's Catholics to maintain a network of autonomous denominational schools. Secondly, the thesis assesses the impact of the 'Gaelic' features of Catholic schools upon education policy, to determine whether national issues influenced the decisions of either the Catholic authorities or the devolved government. Thirdly, the thesis studies the Catholic authorities' response to the success of the campaign in recent decades for integrated schools, educating Catholic and Protestant children in 'shared schools'. The thesis relies upon five major sources; the records contained in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, the Catholic Church's archives for the Down and Connor diocese, the debates of the Northern Ireland and United Kingdom Parliaments, the newspapers reports of the Irish News and the Belfast Telegraph, and the Ministry of Education's Annual Reports
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