The

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers (, abbreviated OP), commonly known as the Dominican Order, is a Catholic Church, Catholic mendicant order of pontifical right that was founded in France by a Castilians, Castilian priest named Saint Dominic, Dominic de Gu ...

(''Order of Preachers'') has been present in Ireland since 1224 when the first foundation was established in Dublin, a monastic settlement north of the River Liffey, where the Four Courts is located today. This was quickly followed by

Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...

(also 1224),

Kilkenny Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...

(1225),

Waterford Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...

(1226),

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

(1227) and

Cork (city) Cork ( ; from , meaning 'marsh') is the second-largest city in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the county town of County Cork, the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the List of settlements on the island of Ireland ...

(1229). The order was reestablished in the 19th century after having been driven out in the 17th century by laws against Catholic religious orders. During the

Penal Laws Penal law refers to criminal law. It may also refer to: * Penal law (British), laws to uphold the establishment of the Church of England against Catholicism * Penal laws (Ireland) In Ireland, the penal laws () were a series of Disabilities (C ...

, as other Irish Colleges were established on the continent, in 1633 the Irish Dominicans established, the '' College of Corpo Santo, Lisbon''History - Irish Dominicans in Portugal
www.irishdominicansinportugal.com and ''College of the Holy Cross'', Louvain (1624-1797) to train clergy for ministering in Ireland.

San Clemente al Laterano The Basilica of Saint Clement () is a Latin Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Pope Clement I located in Rome, Italy. Archaeologically speaking, the structure is a three-tiered complex of buildings: (1) the present basilica built just before ...

in Rome, was entrusted to the Irish Dominicans in 1677.Irish footsteps echo in Rome's past
Faith Matters, Irish News, May 20, 2021. In 1855, St. Mary's Priory, Tallaght, was established to train members of the order, who would complete their clerical studies in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

and be ordained in the Basilica San Clemente.

Dominican convents, retreat houses, and houses of study

There are currently communities of Dominican friars in the following places in Ireland: * Convent and seminary in

Cork city Cork ( ; from , meaning 'marsh') is the second-largest city in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the county town of County Cork, the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the List of settlements on the island of Ireland ...

* Convent, house of study and retreat house in

Tallaght Tallaght ( ; , ) is a southwestern outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The central village area was the site of a monastic settlement from at least the 8th century, which became one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres. Up to th ...

* Community in

Athy Athy ( ; ) is a market town at the meeting of the River Barrow and the Grand Canal in south-west County Kildare, Ireland, 72 kilometres southwest of Dublin. A population of 11,035 (as of the 2022 census) made it the sixth largest town in Kil ...

* Others There are also communities of Dominican nuns in a number of places.

Dominican colleges

The Dominican orders have made a significant contribution to Irish education. In 1900 the Dominican Sisters established St. Mary's Teacher Training College, in Belfast, which has evolved into

St Mary's University College, Belfast St Mary's University College is a university college in Belfast, Northern Ireland. History The origins of the College can be traced back to 1900 when the Dominican Sisters opened St Mary’s Training College on the present Falls Road campus with ...

. The order delivered the first teacher training diploma course in Ireland at St Dominic's Training College, Eccles Street, which was established in 1908, allowing aspiring teachers to gain a Teaching Diploma from Cambridge University. From 1902 the Dominicans on Eccles street prepared girls for University exams with the

Royal University of Ireland The Royal University of Ireland was a university in Ireland that existed from 1879 to 1909. It was founded in accordance with the University Education (Ireland) Act 1879 as an examining and degree-awarding university based on the model of the ...

, as they also did at Sion Hill.

Secondary schools in Ireland

Dominican College, Portstewart Dominican College Portstewart is a grammar school in Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is situated on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean with views over Portstewart's promenade, the northern coastline of Northern Irelan ...

- a grammar school in

Portstewart Portstewart () is a small seaside town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,854 people in the 2021 United Kingdom census. It is a seaside resort, neighbouring both Coleraine in County Londonderry and Portrush in Cou ...

on the north coast of Ireland *Dominican College Muckross Park *

Dominican College, Fortwilliam Dominican College is a Catholic grammar all-girls school in Fortwilliam Park, north Belfast, Northern Ireland. History The school was established in 1930 by the Dominican Sisters. It was initially established as a Catholic commercial college f ...

- a grammar school for girls in north

Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...

* Dominican College Taylor's Hill - a secondary school for girls in

Galway Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...

* Dominican College Sion Hill - a girls' secondary school in

Blackrock BlackRock, Inc. is an American Multinational corporation, multinational investment company. Founded in 1988, initially as an enterprise risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager, BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager ...

County Dublin County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...

* Dominican College Griffith Avenue - a girls' secondary school in

Drumcondra, Dublin Drumcondra () is a residential area and inner suburb on the Northside (Dublin), Northside of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is administered by Dublin City Council. The River Tolka and the Royal Canal flow through the area. History Th ...

(formerly on Eccles Street) * Newbridge College - a private co-education day boarding school in

County Kildare County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...

* St. Dominic's College, Cabra - a secondary school for girls in Cabra, Dublin. * St Dominic's Grammar School for Girls - a grammar school for girls located on the

Falls Road, Belfast The Falls Road () is the main road through West Belfast, Northern Ireland, running from Divis Street in Belfast City Centre to Andersonstown in the suburbs. The name has been synonymous for at least a century and a half with the Catholic comm ...

* St Rose's Dominican College - this school was established by the Dominicans in Beechmount area,

in 1962. In 2019, it merged with Christian Brothers School, Glen Road and Corpus Christi College to form All Saints College / Coláiste na Naomh Uile.

Further education / houses of study

* Dominican Biblical Institute (2000-2015), was a biblical research centre in Limerick, Ireland * St. Mary's Priory, Tallaght, Dublin, it was the Dominican House of Studies until the year 2000, it is the home of

The Priory Institute The Priory Institute, is part of the St. Mary's Dominican Priory on the grounds of the old Tallaght Castle, Dublin 24, Ireland and provides, certificate, diploma, and degree programmes in theology and philosophy. Course accreditation In 2011, ...

, which provides degrees and masters programmes by distance learning, validated by the Technological University Dublin * St. Saviour's Priory, Dublin since 2000, houses the Studium, the Centre of Institutional Studies of the Irish Dominican friars. * St. Mary's Dominican Church and Priory, Pope's Quay in

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

is the

Novitiate The novitiate, also called the noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a Christian ''novice'' (or ''prospective'') monastic, apostolic, or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether ...

for the Irish Dominican Province, and they also run courses in theology.

International

Dominican Convent High School, Harare Dominican Convent High School (commonly referred to as Convent) is a private Catholic day school for girls in Harare, Zimbabwe. One of the oldest established schools in Zimbabwe, Dominican Convent was founded in 1892 by Mother Patrick Cosgrave, ...

, Zimbabwe, founded by an Irish Dominican nun * Saint Dominic's International School, near Lisbon, Portugal, founded by Irish Dominican sisters

Irish Dominicans outside Ireland

Irish Dominicans have been active outside Ireland, taking up a number of roles and responsibilities. From 1863 many Irish Dominican priests, brothers, and nuns, served the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port of Spain The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Port of Spain () is a metropolitan diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The archdiocese encompasses the entirety of the former Spanish dependency of Trinidad, ...

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

, as the Irish Dominican Order were given responsibility for the dioceses, with a number serving as Bishops. In 1962 the Irish Dominicans were asked by the Vatican to take over the church mission in Tehran, Iran, building and maintaining Saint Abraham's Church, Tehran. Irish Dominicans have owned the Basilica of San Clemente and the surrounding building complex since 1667 when Pope Urban VIII gave them refuge, it has become a house of study and residence for Dominicans when studying in Rome. The '' Irish Dominican College, Louvain'', (Collège des Dominicains Irlandais, Louvain), founded in 1659, was also following the French revolution in 1795. Irish Dominican presence in Lisbon goes back to when they sought refuge and clerical training setting up a college, during penal times, a Convent, ''Convento De Nossa Senhora Do Bom Sucesso'', was also established in 1633 which closed in 2006. Today the order maintains one friar in Lisbon who serves the Irish and the English speaking communities there, the convents mission continues under ''Fundação Obra Social das Religiosas Dominicanas Irlandesas, (FOSRDI)''.

Notable Irish Dominicans

* Jofroi of Waterford, fl. 1300?, scribe, translator * Edmund Bourke, (d. 1738), author * John Brett, O.P., Bishop of Killala (1743–1748) * Thomas Burke, (1709 - 25 September 1776),

Bishop of Ossory . The Bishop of Ossory () is an Episcopal polity, episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Provinces of Ireland, Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but i ...

* Thomas Nicholas Burke, (8 September 1830 - 2 July 1882), preacher * Aengus Buckley, (1913–78). art teacher and artist (painting) * Damian Louis Byrne, O.P., (1929-1996), 83rd, Master of the Order (1983-1992), second Irishman to hold the post. * James Joseph Carbery, (1 May 1823 - 17 December 1887), Bishop of Hamilton, Canada * Richard Luke Concanen, consecrated as the first Bishop of New York * Bishop John Connolly, second Bishop of New York (1814-1825) * Anthony Dominic Fahy, (11 January 1805 - 20 February 1871), missionary in Argentina * Henry Flanagan, (1918–92), teacher, musician, artist and sculptor *

Edmund Ffrench Edmund Ffrench, O.P. (1775–1852) was the Roman Catholic Warden of Galway and Bishop of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora. Ffrench was a descendant of the Tribes of Galway, though by the 18th century, his family had become Protestant. His father, Ed ...

, O.P., Bishop of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora * Andrew Fitzgerald, O.P., President of

St. Patrick's, Carlow College St Patrick's, Carlow College, is a liberal arts college located in Carlow, Ireland. The college is the second oldest third level institution in Ireland and was founded in 1782 by James Keefe, then Roman Catholic Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, a ...

(1814–1843), and

Tithe War The Tithe War () was a campaign of mainly nonviolent civil disobedience, punctuated by sporadic violent episodes, in Ireland between 1830 and 1836 in reaction to the enforcement of tithes on the Roman Catholic majority for the upkeep of the est ...

campaigner *

Wilfrid Harrington Wilfrid John Harrington (born 1927 in Ireland — April 16, 2025) was an Irish Dominican priest. From Eyeries (near Castletownbere), County Cork, Ireland, Harrington was educated at Newbridge College, County Kildare, before entering the Dom ...

, (b. 1927), theologian * Roche MacGeoghegan, (1580 - 26 May 1644), Bishop of Kildare * Brian McKevitt, publisher of '' Alive!'', a conservative Catholic newspaper * Michael Peter MacMahon, O.P.,

Bishop of Killaloe The Bishop of Killaloe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Killaloe in County Clare, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bis ...

* Fr. Joseph Mullooly, (1812 - 1880), archaeologist, superior Irish Dominican College, Rome * Dominic Maguire, O.P., chaplain-general for the army of James II in Ireland, and Archbishop of Armagh. *

Ambrose O'Conor Ambrose of Milan (; 4 April 397), venerated as Saint Ambrose, was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promoting Roman Christianity against Ari ...

, MTh, Provincial of the Irish Dominicans, nominated as Vicar Apostolic of Ardagh 1709, died 1711. * Daniel O'Daly, (1595 - 30 June 1662), diplomat and historian, first rector of Dominican Corpo Santo College, Lisbon * Francis Joseph O'Finan, O.P., Bishop of Killala * Geraldine Smyth, O.P., Prioress International Dominican sisters (1998-2004), Director of the

Irish School of Ecumenics The Irish School of Ecumenics (ISE) is an institute of Trinity College Dublin, dedicated to the study and promotion of peace and reconciliation in Ireland and throughout the world. The school is located in Dublin and Belfast, and consists of eigh ...

(1994-1999) *

John Thomas Troy John Thomas Troy, OP (10 May 1739 – 11 May 1823) was an Irish Dominican friar who served as Archbishop of Dublin from 1786 to 1823. Life Dominican Of Anglo-Norman stock, Troy was born at Annefield House, near Porterstown, County Dublin and ...

, (10 May 1739 - 11 May 1823),

Archbishop of Dublin The Archbishop of Dublin () is an Episcopal polity, archiepiscopal title which takes its name from Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Since the Reformation in Ireland, Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic successions to the title: ...

Irish Dominican bishops Port of Spain

* Patrick Vincent Flood, O.P., Archbishop of Port of Spain (1889–1907) * John Pius Dowling, O.P., Archbishop of Port of Spain (1909–1940) *

Patrick Finbar Ryan Patrick Finbar Ryan, TC, O.P., (1881–1975) was an Irish Dominican priest who served as Archbishop of Port of Spain, Trinidad (1940–1966). On 4 March 1881, Patrick Ryan was born in Rochestown, County Cork to Edward Ryan and Matilda Ryan. ...

, O.P., Archbishop of Port of Spain (1940–1966), provincial of the Irish Dominican Province (1921–26 and 1930–34) * William Dominic O'Carroll, O.P., (1874-1880), Coadjutor bishop * Thomas Raymond Hyland, O.P., (1882-1884), Coadjutor bishop * George Vincent King, O.P., 1885–1886), Coadjutor bishop * William Michael Fitzgerald, O.P., (1958-1968), Auxiliary bishop

Irish Dominicans killed/martyred

* Richard Barry, O.P., Prior of Cashel, slain there, 1647. * Dominic Dillon, O.P., prior at Urlar (Mayo), martyred, drogheda 1649 * Raymund Keogh, O.P., Roscommon Priory, martyred Mullingar, 1642. * William Lynch, O.P., hanged, 1649. * Miler MacGrath (Father Michael of the Rosary), O.P., hanged, Clonmel, 1650. * William McGillacunny (MacGiolla Coinigh), O.P., executed at Coleraine, 1617. * Thaddeaus Moriarity, O.P., DTh., Prior of Tralee, hanged, at Killarney, 1653. * Edmund O'Bern, O.P., beheaded after torture, Jamestown, Carrick-on-Shannon, 1652. * Terence Albert O'Brien, (1600 - 31 October 1651),

Bishop of Emly The Bishop of Emly (; ) was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the village of Emly in County Tipperary, Ireland. In both the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, it has been united with other sees. History The monaste ...

, martyr, hanged in Limerick. * Felix O'Connor, O.P., Prior at Louvain and Sligo; died in Sligo Jail, 1679. * William O'Connor, O.P., Clonmel Priory, slain, 1651. * Thomas O'Higgins, O.P., hanged in Clonmel, 1651. * Peter O'Higgins, O.P., Prior of Naas, hanged, 1641. * John O'Luin, O.P., hanged at Derry 1607. * Donagh (William) O'Luin, O.P., prior of Derry, hanged and quartered, 1608. * Raymund O'Moore, O.P., Martyred, Dublin 1665. * Richard Oveton, O.P., sub-prior at Athy, beheaded in Drogheda, 1649 * James O'Reilly, O.P., killed near Clonmel, 1649

Provincial of the Dominicans in Ireland

* 2021–Present: John Harris O.P. * 2012-2020: Gregory Carroll O.P. * 2004-2012: Pat Lucey, O.P. * 2000-2004: Gearóid Manning O.P. * 1992-2000: Larry Collins O.P. * 1984-1992: Tom Jordan O.P. * 1969-?: Flannan Aidan Hynes O.P. * Louis Coffey O.P. * 1957-1961: Reginald Harrington O.P. * Thomas E. Garde O.P. * 1930-1934:

O.P. * 1921-1926:

O.P. * 1868-1872: Robert Augustine Concanen White O.P. * 1864-1868: Bartholomew Thomas Russell O.P. * 1856-1860: Robert Augustine Concanen White O.P. * 1852-1856: Bartholomew Thomas Russell O.P. * Bernard Dominic Goodman O.P. * 1836-1840: William Joseph McDonnell O.P. * 1832-1836: Peter Dominick Smyth O.P. * 1828-1832: Andrew Fitzgerald O.P. * Patrick Gibbins O.P. * 1738-1740: John Fottrell O.P. * 1734-1738: Bernard McNally O.P. * 1731-1734: John O'Brien O.P., prior of youghal * 1726-1730: Colman O'Shaughnessy O.P., became Bishop of Ossory * 1721-1726: Stephen (MacEgan) Eagan O.P., became

Bishop of Clonmacnoise Bishop of Clonmacnoise was the ordinary of the Roman Catholic episcopal see based at Clonmacnoise, County Offaly, Ireland. The bishops of Clonmacnoise (Old Irish: ''Cluain Moccu Nóis'') appear in the records for the first time in the 9th century ...

and in 1729

Bishop of Meath The Bishop of Meath is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient Kingdom of Meath. In the Catholic Church it remains as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric. History Until the ...

* Hugh O'Calanan O.P. * 1700-1709:

O.P., MTh * 1647: Terence Albert O'Brien O.P. * 1627-1632: Nicholas Lynch O.P., tenure extended to 1632 by the pope, became Prior in San Sisto Vecchio, Rome. * 1614-1617: Roche MacGeoghegan O.P. * 1593-1600: Thaddeus Duane O.P.

Dominican publications

Established in 1897, Dominican publications have published Catholic ethos books and a number of magazines and journals.

Journals

* '' Doctrine and Life- Religious Life Review'' (ten times a year) * ''Scripture in Church'' (quarterly) * ''Spirituality'' (every two months)

Former journals

* '' Irish Rosary'', monthly journal (1897-1961) * '' Imeldist'', children's publication founded in 1921 published until 1941

External links

National

Provincial site

Vocations Website

Vocations Blog

Dominican Students' Preaching Website - Dominicans Interactive

Dominican Publications Website

Website of the St Martin Apostolate

Website of the Rosary Apostolate

Dominican Polish Chaplaincy in Ireland

Preaching Website

Priory Institute

Local communities and apostolates

Dublin Dominicans' Website

Tallaght Dominicans' Website

Kilkenny Dominicans' Website - "The Black Abbey"

Galway Dominicans' Website

Tralee Dominicans' Website

Newbridge Dominicans' Website

Dominican Polish Chaplaincy in Tralee

Dominican Polish Chaplaincy in Galway

Dominican Polish Chaplaincy in Tallaght

Dominican Retreat Centre in Cork

Cork City Centre Dominicans' Website

Waterford City Centre Dominicans' Website

San Clemente, the Irish Dominican community in Rome, Italy

Tehran House of the Irish Dominicans

References

{{catholic congregation 1224 establishments in Ireland Dominican Order Catholic Church in Ireland