IL CONVENTO DI ORLAGH

 

 

 

Orlagh Retreat Centre, Dublin, Ireland

HISTORY OF ORLAGH

House of Memories

by Father Ambrose Brennan, o.s.a. (1966)

 

 

Seated on the northern slope of Mount Pelier, below the ruins of the Hell Fire Club, is the tree-encircled building that for nearly a hundred years has been the Novitiate of the Irish Augustinians. Though young compared with most Augustinian foundations in this country, it is, however, a place of much historic interest. The Deed of Conveyance preserved at Orlagh, dated July 16th, 1872, attests the purchase of the house and lands of Orlagh in the names of "Rev. Francis Doyle and Rev. Joseph Coleman, both of Drogheda Priory, also Rev. Patrick J. Glynn and Rev. Stephen Reville, both of St. John's Priory, Dublin." Rev. Francis Doyle has been elected Provincial the preceding year, and Rev. Stephen Reville later became Bishop of Sandhurst, Australia. The owner from whom Orlagh was bought was Mr. Carew O'Dwyer, M.P. for Drogheda. He had been a Justice of the Peace since 1836, a rare distinction, for Co. Dublin had only one or two other Catholic J.P.s at the time.

 

First Building

Orlagh had originally been known as Footmount, called after its first owner and builder, Mr. Lundy Foot, the senior member of a celebrated and extremely wealthy family of tobacco and snuff manufacturers, with headquarters at Essex Gate adjoining Parliament Street and also at Westmoreland Street, Dublin. Joyce, in his "Neighbourhood of Dublin", dates the original building to "about 1790". It was then a simple but stately country mansion which with an upper story later added by the Augustinians, still stands as the centre of the present Novitiate.

 

An Unpopular Magistrate

In 1788, Lundy Foot, then a young man of 24, was called to the bar; being immensely wealthy he had little need to practise law. Later, however, he became a magistrate and used his powers with such unrelenting zeal that he appears to have incurred much popular odium. His reputation as a ruthless magistrate was largely due to a sensational trial in 1816 in which he procured the conviction of the three Kearneys, a father and his two sons, for the murder of a land steward, Kinlan, at Friarstown, Bohernabreena. The three Kearneys, after their conviction, were brought in a cart from Kilmainham Jail to a place on the banks of the Dodder near Old Bawn, where they were hanged from a gallows before a huge crowd from the neighbourhood. Foot, however, had a gentler side to his character; he had a passion for picturesque woodland scenery. Orlagh owes much to his artistic taste; he surrounded the house with choice plantations, including some tulip trees, one of which still flourishes behind the apse of the present chapel. the road from Ballycullen House to the entrance gate of the Orlagh estate was also the work of Lundy foot.

Foot may have tired of Orlagh, or his residing there may have become unpleasant after the Kearney episode. However that may be, he sold his Orlagh property to a Mr. Nathaniel Callwell, a Director of the Bank of Ireland, his son's father-in-law. He then purchased Rosbercon Castle, New Ross, on the Kilkenny side of the River Barrow. Here he met his tragic end on the evening of January 2nd, 1835. He was then an old man of 71. Strolling leisurely along Annefield lane near his home, he was suddenly attacked by a man who, it would appear, rushed on him from a hiding place, and wielding a large stone, battered him to death. His death was popularly regarded as delayed revenge by a member of the Kearney Family.

Evidence, however, pointed to another source. A tenant of a five-acre holding named Murphy had at some time previously been evicted by his landlord, Mr. Lottenham. This land was later purchased by Foot. Murphy's son James was arrested and charged with the murder, mainly, it is said, on the evidence of a boy who happened to come on the scene at the perpetration of the crime. James Murphy was tried and convicted at a court held at Kilkenny and, according to a local tradition, hanged from a gallows erected near the gate of Rosbercon Castle. Lundy Foot was first buried in the Rower churchyard, Co. Kilkenny. Later his body was removed to the family burial place adjoining St. Matthew's Church, Irishtown, Dublin.

 

Carew O'Dwyer

Carew O'Dwyer purchased Orlagh from Callwell in 1836. It was probably during his period of occupation that the name was changed to Orlagh, which Ball, the Co. Dublin historian, interprets as "hill of gold". O'Dwyer enhanced the appearance and value of the place enormously by extensions to the building and elaborate improvements on the grounds. To the East flank of the house he added a small gothic chapel displaying rare specimens of glass, dating to the 15th or 16th century, of which he had made a collection. The great preacher, Fr. Tom Burke, O.P., is reputed to have celebrated Mass here on many occasions. To the West Flank of the house O'Dwyer added a wing with basement and ample servants' quarters. The larger of the two big rooms, the present billiard room was the great dining room. This was hung with tapestry from Marie Antoinette's room at the Tuilleries, Paris. When Louis Philippe altered the Tuilleries apartments the tapestry was put on sale and bought by O'Dwyer. The drawing room ceiling with ornate centrepiece, figuring bunches of grapes with vine leaves, was executed by Cesar, the last of the artificers in hand plaster then living. This room was closely hung with portraits, amongst them two of particularly fine quality, one of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, the other of the poet Thomas Moore.

During O'Dwyer's time the place was also improved with the addition of new stables, glass houses, gardens with shrubberies and spacious walks. Of particular attraction is the large oval pond, also the work of O'Dwyer, fed by a mountain stream with sparkling water cascading over rocks like a miniature waterfall. This pond was restored about 18 years ago by Fr. Alipius Conway, then Prior, and has since served the novices as a refreshing bathing pool.

The present flowering shrubbery surrounding the pool is the work of Fr. Duffner, as Provincial, 1954-1960.

 

O'Connell-Smith O'Brien

O'Dwyer was an ardent patriot, a man of proven integrity, utterly fearless in his stand for impartial justice. These qualities were much needed in the face of bitter religious bias at the time. On the written evidence of his daughter, he was often threatened by the Orangemen. As an able barrister his knowledge of the law was respected. He was best known perhaps as a great host who welcomed all lovers of Ireland to his table regardless of race or creed. Among his many guests none was more welcome than the Liberator, O'Connell. His famed hospitality contributed, no doubt, to the legend that during O'Connell's term of office as Lord Mayor of Dublin he entertained the City Corporation to a dinner of such a lavish nature that the guests with their coachmen slept that night by the roadside. Dublin hospitality in the great houses at the time was indeed fabulous; but the story of the excessive merry-making of the Dublin corporation can be ascribed to fanciful invention rather than the official records of history. A letter from Mrs. O'Brien, daughter of O'Dwyer, dates July 30th, 1910, written to the Prior of Orlagh, the late Most Rev. Canice O'Gormon, completely dispels this popular fiction.

The letter merits quotation in brief since it also sheds an interesting light, not only on O'Connell, but also on another great national figure - Smith O'Brien. Mrs. O'Brien writes: "As to the banquet referred to it was thus: O'Connell brought in a Bill to get rid of the corrupt, immoral Orange Corporation of Dublin and carried it through and was the first Lord Mayor under the new dispensation. I am almost quite certain that the particular dinner party did not occur when he was Lord Mayor; neither was the Corporation of Dublin entertained by my father. This latter item I am quite certain of. "There was, shortly before O'Connell was sent to Richmond Prison, a dinner party of great interest which was long remembered. It was at the time that Daniel O'Connell and Smith O'Brien were at the parting of the ways and those who knew they were to meet at Orlagh were much amused to see how they acted. O'Connell was kind and fatherly, Smith O'Brien most filial; but O'Connell took the spoilt little girl, an only one, on his knee and played with her the whole evening. It was myself. He used me to carry off observation from himself, I suppose. He was very fond of me!"

 

Retrospect

The acquisition of Orlagh as a novitiate satisfied a long-felt need of the Irish Province. During the perilous times of persecution, the Province depended mainly on the hospitality of the Order in Spain. Fr. Nearly in his History of Dunmore notes: "The Augustinian novitiates during those times of persecution here were situated in the Spanish university towns". At the beginning of the 18th century, some priories were accepting novices. Notable among them was the Priory of Dunmore, Co Galway, as a letter by the then Protestant Archbishop of Tuam testifies in 1724. The maintenance of various houses of studies proved impracticable. The houses with limited accommodation could not cope with the number of applicants. This, in addition to the liabilities under which religious orders existed, again compelled the superiors to send students abroad. This position continued from 1750 to 1778. An effort may now be traced to reduce places of studies to one or two.

This appears from a diary kept by Fr. Francis Doyle. He writes: "Up to the year 1798 the Irish Novitiate was at St. Matheo, Rome. Previous to this the novitiate was made by a few at New Ross and Callan." There was a novitiate at Grantstown, Co. Wexford, from 1800 which continued for many years though the numbers who made their profession there was small. among the numbers, however, were James Doyle, later the great Bishop J.K.L., and Alypius Goold, who became the first Archbishop of Melbourne. Doyle was professed on 6th. January, 1806. Goold received the habit on 25th March, 1831. T

he novitiate was later established at Callan. This appears from a further entry in Fr. Francis Doyle's diary. He writes: "About the year 1844-45, V. Rev. N. Furlong established a novitiate again at Callan, but only a few were received up to 1853. Then owing to disturbances in Italy, the numbers of students at Callan was increased and studies were established." Under the date October 22nd. 1863, Fr. Doyle has the entry: "The provincial and Definitors have decided to close down the novitiate at Callan. The novitiate and studies are to be established at Ghent, Belgium, for Irish students. At present (1863) there are eleven students altogether at Callan, between novices and professed and six more Irish students in Italy." Orlagh succeeded Ghent as the Novitiate of the Irish Province in 1872. The first Prior was Fr. Hutchenson who was later consecrated Bishop and became Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown, Australia. Work was soon begun to adapt the building for use as a novitiate. Top stories with cells were built on the central and west wings in the years 1872-3. During 1887-8, the east wing was added containing the present chapel with its impressive choir stalls and overheard corridor. In the present year commemorating the 1916 Rising, it will be of interest to note that Patrick Pearse frequently visited Orlagh while he conducted his school at St. Enda's Rathfarnham, and Eoin McNeill was there during the historic Easter Week. An historian, concluding his account of Orlagh on its passing into the hands of the Augustinians ends with the laconic comment: "So ends the history of Orlagh." We Augustinians would like to appeal against that judgement.

 

Prospect

From the date of its purchase until the early 1990's, we Augustinians used Orlagh for the early formation of our students. For well over a hundred years, every Irish friar spent time in this house and it has retained its place in our affections. The friars who went to England and Scotland, to Italy and Nigeria, to the USA and to Australia, to Ecuador and other places brought with them the ethos of our fraternity, the seeds of which were sown here. Early in the 1990's, the community began making the house available as a place of retreat and since 1997, this ministry has been offered under the name "Orlagh Retreat Centre". As you can see from the programme, the Orlagh Team makes available a variety of courses, days and retreats. The house may also be used by groups bringing their own programme. Individuals in search of quiet and time apart are always welcome. We are convinced of the need, especially today, for places like Orlagh and we hope you will feel at home in our home.

 

Mission Statement of the Orlagh Team

The aim of the Orlagh Team is to foster encourage develop and build the Christian community through a programme of FAITH FORMATION based on scripture - the gospel message - and integrating HUMAN DEVELOPMENT and GROUP SKILLS.