Thomas Betagh

Thomas Betagh (1737 – 16 February 1811) was an Irish Jesuit priest, schoolteacher, and professor of languages at Pont-à-Mousson Jesuit scholasticate (France). Betagh established a number of free schools in Dublin, which taught over 300 boys. These schools also provided clothing for the most destitute of the pupils, where a total of over three thousand boys had been educated. The schools were afterwards known as the Dr Betagh Schools.

Life Betagh was descended from a branch of an old Roman catholic family in Meath, Ireland, which, through the Cromwellian confiscations, lost considerable estates. He was born in Kells, County Meath. His father was a tanner. Betagh was attended John Austin's school in Saul's Court in Dublin.

At an early age Beltagh was admitted to the seminary of the Society of Jesus at Pont-à-Mousson in France. He spent most of his Jesuit years of spiritual and intellectual formation in France and was ordained a priest at Pont-à-Mousson on 24 May 1766. He resided at Paris and Metz as a professor of languages

He died at his residence, 80 Cook Street. His funeral was attended by over 20,000 persons. His remains were interred in the Jesuits' vaults in Old St. Michan's, Church Street. About 1822 they were removed to the vault of his own church, SS. Michael and John, under the High Altar, where a monument to his memory was also erected. This was sculpted by his one time student (who had subsequently turned to sculpture), Peter Turnerelli.

In 1990 his remains were moved to Glasnevin Cemetery.