The collections in the Vincentian Provincial Archive
Irish Vincentian ProvinceSt Patrick’s Training College for Teachers (College of Education) was founded by the Archbishop of Dublin in 1871 and entrusted to the Vincentians. Originally located in what was until recently the Sacred Heart Home, currently the headquarters of the Chaplaincy for Deaf People, 40 Lr. Drumcondra Road. It moved to its present location (which had been the Novitiate of the Christian Brothers) in 1883. Its most significant transformation took place in the 1960s and later, when there was a huge building programme, and the college began to accept women students. Subsequently its courses were raised to degree level and integrated first into the UCD Education Programme and later that of Dublin City University. The Vincentians withdrew from administration of the College in 1999.
St. Kevin’s, Glenart, Arklow, Co.Wicklow was purchased in the late 1940s to provide student accommodation for the Vincentian student body, due to increasing numbers. The theology students were moved to Glenart, the philosophers/university students and seminarists remaining at Blackrock. The move was made in 1949. Glenart continued to serve as a theology house until 1968, when they moved back to Blackrock. From then until 1978 it served as a Retreat House, and was much used by the Irish Missionary Union for courses for returning missionaries. In that year it was sold. A field was retained which was not sold until 1996.
Also some more information on the building here: https://www.archiseek.com/glenart-castle-co-wicklow/
Father Andrew Cleary, Redemptorist priest, had been a pupil of Castleknock College (1899-1903).
Photograph by Dorothy Horton, Belfast.
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.
The collection relates to the Vincentian work done in All Hallows College (AHC) from 1892, when the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) took over the administration of the college, to 2016 when the Vincentians gave up the running of AHC. Contains financial, spiritual and architectural reports and considerations of the college as run by the Vincentians.
Irish Vincentian Province
Printed booklet. Includes photograph of stone bust of Father John Hand, and five photographs of All Hallows College buildings.