At their December meeting, the Trustees of Saint Patrick's College, Maynooth appointed Rev Dr Michael Shortall as President of the college, having been interim president for the past year.
Commenting on his appointment, Father Shortall remarked, “I am grateful for the trust placed in me. This community has shaped me for nearly twenty years, and my hope is simply to serve it well. The task ahead isn’t mine alone; it will be carried by staff, students, and all who care for this college. Together we can continue the work entrusted to us.”
Father Shortall, originally from Kilkenny, initially studied politics and philosophy at University College Dublin, completing a Masters in 1995.
Intent on pursuing life in the priesthood, Father Shortall entered Clonliffe College, the then seminary for the Archdiocese of Dublin, graduating with a Bachelor’s in Divinity and was ordained to the priesthood in 1998.
Having served as a curate in parishes in Dublin, Father Shortall then moved to Rome where he obtained his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 2006.
In that same year he was appointed as Lecturer in Moral Theology at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth.
Father Shortall has since served in a number of senior roles in the College, including Registrar, Dean of Theology, and Dean of Postgraduate Studies.
A devotee of lifelong learning , he holds numerous post graduate qualifications in education, leadership, and medical law.
He has also served as research fellow and occasional lecturer at different European universities, including Durham and the European Network of Catholic Universities.