1960s Timeline +
‘Assisting students of revolutionary tendency’
1966
In 1966, the Arts Council introduced small grants for students toward the cost of study tours abroad.
The Architectural Students Association at the College of Technology, Bolton Street, Dublin was awarded £110 for a trip to Holland during the Easter holidays in 1966. More grants followed, including a grant of £350 to enable seven fourth-year students to visit Turkey in August 1967. ‘The main intention was to make an original study of the stonecarving and tiling decoration of Islamic architecture.’
The Council also provided financial support on many occasions to students of the National College of Art towards the cost of visiting museums and galleries in London.
While these tours received ‘the full encouragement and cooperation’ of the College of Technology, Bolton Street, in 1970 the then Director of the National College of Art made a complaint to either the Department of Education or the Department of the Taoiseach that the Council was ‘assisting students of revolutionary tendency without the approval of the National College of Art’.
The Department of Education sought the Taoiseach’s intervention to prevent the Arts Council from making further grants to National College of Art students’ trips abroad. In May 1970, the Council received a letter from the Department of the Taoiseach requiring the Secretary to give an explanation of ‘what was said to be interference of the Council in the functions of a Minister of State, the Minister of Education.’ The Secretary supplied a detailed explanation to the Taoiseach and nothing further was heard.
The Council continued to contribute to these educational tours until 1973. However, the policy of assisting students to tour abroad stopped in 1974 (Council’s decision of 13 September 1974) and all previous recipients of grants were informed of the Council’s changed policy.
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![Letter from Clive Burland to Mervyn Wall, Secretary of the Arts Council. [Letter reproduced courtesy of the National College of Art and Design] (Page 1 of 2)](http://archivestories.artscouncil.ie/wp-content/gallery/1966_revolutuionary_students/rev_002_334.jpg "Letter from Clive Burland to Mervyn Wall, Secretary of the Arts Council. [Letter reproduced courtesy of the National College of Art and Design] (Page 1 of 2)")
![Letter from Clive Burland to Mervyn Wall, Secretary of the Arts Council [Letter reproduced courtesy of the National College of Art and Design] (Page 2)](http://archivestories.artscouncil.ie/wp-content/gallery/1966_revolutuionary_students/rev_003_335.jpg "Letter from Clive Burland to Mervyn Wall, Secretary of the Arts Council [Letter reproduced courtesy of the National College of Art and Design] (Page 2)")
![Postcard from NCAD students to the Arts Council. Photograph of marble tondo by Michaelangelo, The Royal Academy London. [Image reproduced © Royal Academy of Arts, London]](http://archivestories.artscouncil.ie/wp-content/gallery/1966_revolutuionary_students/rev_004_186.jpg "Postcard from NCAD students to the Arts Council. Photograph of marble tondo by Michaelangelo, The Royal Academy London. [Image reproduced © Royal Academy of Arts, London]")
![Reverse of postcard from NCAD students to the Arts Council. Photograph of marble tondo by Michaelangelo, The Royal Academy London. [Postcard reproduced courtesy of the National College of Art and Design]](http://archivestories.artscouncil.ie/wp-content/gallery/1966_revolutuionary_students/rev_005_187.jpg "Reverse of postcard from NCAD students to the Arts Council. Photograph of marble tondo by Michaelangelo, The Royal Academy London. [Postcard reproduced courtesy of the National College of Art and Design]")
![Letter from Brian Maguire, Foundation Course, NCAD to Rev. D. O'Sullivan S.J. Director of the Arts Council. [Letter reproduced courtesy of the National College of Art and Design]](http://archivestories.artscouncil.ie/wp-content/gallery/1966_revolutuionary_students/rev_006_188.jpg "Letter from Brian Maguire, Foundation Course, NCAD to Rev. D. O'Sullivan S.J. Director of the Arts Council. [Letter reproduced courtesy of the National College of Art and Design]")
It has been found in previous years that those who went on the tours benefitted greatly from them. They returned with new ideas and impressions which were spread among all their fellow students, thus enriching the whole life of the college.
Maurice A. Peakin, Secretary of the Architectural Students Association and tour organiser (21 Feb 1971).