SNIPPET: Edmund RICE, born in Callan, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland, 1762, is credited with founding two teaching religious orders, the Christian Brother and the Presentation Brothers, and their schools are to be found all over the world. His father farmed 182 acres and their long, low, thatched room cottage was typical of the "strong farmer class," with four bedrooms, a parlour, a kitchen and a small hall. Though the walls were made of mud, it has survived in a remarkable state of preservation right down to the present day. Edmund's uncle, Michael RICE, maintained a thriving provisioning trade in Waterford City, Co. Waterford. As a young man, Edmund came to the bustling port city and worked with his uncle. He was talented and energetic and soon became a very wealthy man. Within 20 years, through trade and investments, he had amassed a fortune. Details of Edmund's personal life are sparse. His genuine modesty and reticence make him an elusive subject for a biographer, and he left no diaries or memoirs. Only after much persuasion did he allow his portrait to be painted. His letters tend to be practical and business-like. In 1785, he married Mary ELLIOTT. Little is known of his wife but that she died in 1789, leaving Edmund to care for their handicapped daughter. This shattering experience marked a decisive turning point in Edmund's life. From this date his religious faith and the practical expression of it became the dominant feature of his life as he spent more time in prayer and helping a great number of people in Waterford who suffered poverty and injustice. His concerns at this period included the plight of the sick, orphans and prisoners. He considered joining the Augustinian Order and leading a contemplative life in a monastery, but he was dissuaded by his friends who convinced him that his calling was to the poor of Waterford City rather than the seclusion of the monastic cloister. In 1802 he established a free school for poor young people. Having provided for his daughter, Mary, who was cared for by his family, he left his comfortable house and lived over the school. He was joined by two Callan, Co. Kilkenny men, and they formed a religious community dedicated to "raising up the poor." For the first time, poor Catholic boys were given the opportunity of an education with no interference with their religious beliefs. The poorer pupils received a daily meal of bread and milk and a tailor was employed to provide suits and repair the boys tattered clothing. Less than 40 years later, the Brothers had almost 8,000 pupils on their rolls and had six schools in England catering for the children of Irish emigrants. They instilled in these pupils the virtues of discipline, hard work and sobriety. The curriculum was constructed so as to meet the employment demands of a 19th century industrial society and particular emphasis was placed on literacy in English and bookkeeping was one of the practical subjects taught. Many were attracted by his vision and generosity and the educational mission of the Brothers spread throughout Ireland and to many parts of the world. It may be possible to locate and obtain genealogical information in an annual publication that began in 1887 called "The Necrology." Produced by the Christian Brothers, these contained brief biographies of Christian Brothers who had died in the previous year and others who had joined the order and stayed until their death. It is believed that some of these books were shredded or burned when some of the monasteries subsequently closed down. Perhaps some family history societies have been able to salvage sets of these valuable publications. Perhaps other religious orders have similar collections. Edmund RICE died on August 29, 1844, at Mount Sion, the site of his first monastery, and he was beatified in Rome on October 6, 1996. Excerpts from Cork's "Irish Roots," periodical 1996, #4.