The premises at Castleknock were purchased in 1834 by the Vincentians, who were at that time running a school in Usher’s Quay. They initially continued teaching in Usher’s Quay in the morning and went over to Castleknock in the afternoon, but this management of both institutions could not be carried on very long, so the Vincentians gave up the school in Usher’s Quay in 1839.
The seminary at Castleknock, for second and third level boys, was founded by the early Irish Vincentians just after they had officially joined the Congregation of the Mission. These Vincentians were Fathers James Lynch CM, Michael Burke CM, Roger Kickham CM and Thomas MacNamara CM.
Saint Vincent’s College was a Vincentian major (i.e. third level) seminary from 1835 until the purchase of Saint Joseph’s, Prospect House, Temple Road, Blackrock, in 1875 when it moved there.
It was also a minor (i.e. second level) seminary for Vincentian and also originally for Dublin Diocese students, until the Dublin Diocese moved its seminary to Holy Cross College in Clonliffe in 1859. After the move of the Diocesan seminary, Castleknock College became more lay than ecclesiastical in nature, but even with many lay pupils attending, most of them appear to have decided to join the priesthood, and most of these joined the Congregation of the Mission.
The school is still in existence as Castleknock College, but since 2006 it has only been for day pupils. It has also been a lay school since 1859 when the Diocesan seminary moved to Clonliffe. 3 September used to be the standard day to join the Vincentian Community for those starting the novitiate, as it was the start of term.
