Catholic education in Ireland had been denied to the people of Ireland since the seventeenth century; in consequence, much of the population suffered from poverty, hunger and drunkenness. Delany tried to bring back the traditional Catholic education to the community.
The absence of Catholic education in Ireland for centuries led to dire living conditions, characterized by poverty, hunger, and excessive drinking. Delany sought to rectify this situation by reintroducing traditional Catholic education to his community.