Michael Sandel's recent talk at CUHK and his comments to local newspapers on the frustrations local communities feel in an age of heightened inequality raise important questions for educators and for universities. The humanities is often regarded as the group of disciplines that can speak most meaningfully for the values a community holds dear. This talk will begin by examining the humanities from an Irish perspective. After all, John Henry Newman's influential series of talks on the "Idea of a University" were delivered for the inauguration of an Irish university. The talk will explore how the early humanities in colonial Ireland lived up to Newman's ideals and how they evolved in the post-colonial era. I will then explore some possible comparisons with the humanities in post-colonial Hong Kong. The final part of the talk will examine how the humanities should respond to questions of educational inequality in Hong Kong and elsewhere.