1881:
19 Nov - Seven Sisters arrive from Roebuck to Kilmacud Manor
20 Nov - First Mass and Foundation of St Joseph's Monastery, Kilmacud
1888:
A small altar stone from the Penal Days was presented to the
nuns - it had been found in one of the fields by the previous owner of
the house, Mr William Fitzpatrick
The altar-bread industry began, which continues to this day! In the
early days breads were cooked in a coal fire using tongs. The
coal-house was converted into a "Bake House" and oil machines were
purchased later.
1890:
Statue of St Joseph (right) donated
for outside monastery by Mrs O'Connell, mother of Mother M.Albert.
This is still visible today, although Joseph's "saw" was stolen
during the building work of 2003/4!!!
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1891
The first greenhouse was built
1894
Death of the First Foundress - Sr. M.Vincent
1895
"Hand printing" machine was donated enabling nuns to print grace-books, procession manuals, etc..
1896
Foundation stone of the chapel laid by His Grace Dr. William Walsh on 4th June (above)
1897
30 Sept - Death of St. Therese in Lisiuex
24 Dec - Dedication of the new chapel by Very Rev. Canon Matthews, PP of Dundrum. (See also our page on the chapel history here).
1898
Small loom for weaving cotton was purchased from Foxford Mills.
1899
Orchard laid by gardener of Chief Baron Christopher Palles
1900
6 July - Cemetery in the enclosure was consecrated by His Grace Dr. William Walsh, Bishop of Dublin (below)
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1907:
Hen houses built by the nuns themselves, doing all
carpentry, cement paths and painting work themselves. The structures
took four days to demolish in 1923.
A weaving loom was donated by Mr Potter, father of Sr. Alphonsus, and used until 1958 (right).
1910:
A corrugated iron fence was erected as the enclosure boundary
This year the first links were formed between Kilmacud and Lisieux
Carmel thanks to a woman called Madeleine Sampson, who was a spiritual
daughter of Mother Agnes, Prioress at Lisieux. |
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1911:
Entrance of Madeleine Sampson to Kilmacud Carmel. She spent much of her
time in Carmel translating books on Therese of Lisieux from French to
English.
1913:
Sanctuary walls overlaid in marble, but this was interrupted due
to the war and matching marble could only be procurred several years
later (see modern photo right of the marble still in place).
1915:
Publication in English of "Thoughts of the Servant of God Therese of
the Child Jesus", translated from French by Sr. Therese de L'Enfant
Jesu (previously Madeleine Sampson) |
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1922:
Irish
republican activist Rory O'Connor was executed during the Irish Civil
War. His mother spent that day in the parlour at Kilmacud Carmel, as
her two sisters were members of the community here - Sr. Teresa Joseph
and Sr. Mary Angela.
1923:
Publication of "The Little Way of Spiritual Childhood" by Rev.G.Martin and assisted by Sr. Therese de L'Enfant Jesu (previously Madeleine Sampson)
Building of brick hen houses (picture left taken in 1970's), gift of Colonal Morgan O'Connell, brother of Mother M.Albert
1925:
Refectory on ground floor and overhead cells built, gift of Colonal Morgan O'Connell (see refectory picture right)
Canonisation of St Therese of Lisieux
Publication of "The Spirit of Saint Therese de l'Enfant Jesus", translated from French by Sr. Therese de L'Enfant Jesu (previously Madeleine Sampson)
1930:
Electric lights replaced oil lamps in the chapel |
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The Eucharistic Congress took place in Dublin, and years later, one of the nuns spoke of her childhood glowing memories of hearing John McCormack
singing Panis Angelicus in the Phoenix Park.
Life size Pieta donated for the cemetery by Miss Farrell, sister of the sculptor Sir Thomas Farrell (right)
Visit of Cardinal Villeneuve of Quebec
1935:
Publication of "The Little Catechism of the Act of Oblation of St Therese of the Child Jesus", translated from French by Sr. Therese de L'Enfant Jesu (previously Madeleine Sampson).
1936:
Infirmary wing built with three cells (see left - the three infirmary cells are on the ground floor to the right of the building).
Building of greenhouse started by Mr Patrick Rochford, but the work was not completed due to the war
1938:
Publication of "At the School of St Therese of the Child Jesus", translated from French by Sr. Therese de L'Enfant Jesu (previously Madeleine Sampson) |
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1940's
Rationing during the war years meant that often no butter was available and sisters used jam instead!!
1946:
Death of the last foundress - Mother Conception
Cement Hen Houses built (picture left)
1949:
Electric washing machine and AGA cooker installed |
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1954:
Outdoor statue of Our Lady of Fatima donated by Mr.
Keegan in honour of Sr Clement's silver jubilee of entrance, 2nd Nov
1948 (see right)
1955:
Central heating was installed
1958:
An important year, as the
Community had the privilege of making Solemn Vows. This had been
suspended since the Penal times in Ireland. Because of this, the rules
of enclosure were tightened - grilles in parlour were doubled and black
curtains were used for all non-family visitors. The enclosure boundary
was fixed and marked by plantation of trees between wire fencing.
Also this year, the famous "Audience
Invisible" took place. This was a radio broadcast from Pope Pius XII to
all enclosed nuns. In Kilmacud a radio was set up in the choir, near
the pipe organ. The nuns sat around listening to Pope Pius.
A new boundary wall of cement blocks was constructed this year.
Weaving material ceased due to the difficulty of procuring suitable thread.
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1962:
Beginning of the Second Vatican Council which greatly changed religious
life. In the years following the Council outdated and obsolete customs
and practices were abolished and there was more dialogue and
collegiality in community life.
1967:
Water pipes laid to the henhouses
1969:
The greenhouse building which was started in 1936 was completed by Mr Patrick Foley and his sons (see right)
Electric multiple cutting machines purchased for altar-bread work |
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1972:
Two sisters attended a meeting outside the monastery for the first time at Muckross Park, Donnybrook
Parlours renovated and new iron grilles erected to replace the double wooden grilles and black curtain (right).
1973:
Reconstruction of the sanctuary and altar in the chapel in line with Vatican II (below right - photo shows the original altar moved forward)
1975:
New vegetable garden planted
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1976:
Old vegetable garden and lower field sold for building
1978:
Boundary wall built
1979:
Pope John Paul II visits Ireland. Eight sisters from Kilmacud went to
the Phoenix Park and three went to Maynooth to see the Pope (see one of our Sisters on the day in the photo left!). |
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Centenary celebrations - read our special page here
1982 & 1983 - Radio Masses for the Sick at Christmas on RTE
1983:
Greenhouse rebuilt and wayside crucifix (right) made and erected by P.Devery
1986:
Extension of small parlour and reconstruction of chapter room
 1987:
New altarbread bakehouse built and automatic baking machine purchased (see left)
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Glass conservatory built
1988:
Boundary wall between Kilmacud House rebuilt
New orchard planted (see below)
1990:
Visit of Fr Patrick Peyton
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1991:
The nuns received new Constitutions
The
Association of Carmels in Ireland was set up. This was a very
significant event for Carmel in Ireland. Visit the Association website here
Four dwelling houses built near enclosure wall
1992:
Outdoor statue of St Therese donated by the Oblate Fathers when their property was sold (see left).
New hermitage purchased (see photo below)
1994:
The grille between the nuns choir and the sanctuary area of the chapel was removed.
Visit of Fr William McNamara and Mother Tessa, founders of NADA Hermits, Colorado, USA
Visit of Arun Gandhi (grandson of Mahatma Gandhi) and his wife Sunanda
1995:
Visit of Bishop Francis Micallef - Apostolic Delegate of Kuwait
New choir stalls were made, so the nuns were no longer sitting facing
each other back to the walls, but were able to sit facing the
tabernacle during Mass, and also turn to face each other during the
Divine Office (there is a photo of new stalls in our page on the chapel history).
1996:
Visit of Mother Angelica (of EWTN) and Sisters Margaret Mary and Grace Marie from USA
4th
June - Celebration for the centenary of our chapel, chief
celebrant of the Mass was His Excellency Lucian Serreo (Apostolic
Nuncio)
1997:
In the centenary year of her death, St Therese was proclaimed a doctor of the Church
Sr. Mary Gabriel went to assist with the foundation of a Carmel in Lithuania
Visit of Sr Helen Prejean author of best-seller "Dead Man Walking"
14th October - Sr Mary Philomena and Sr Mary Kevin join the community after the closing of Blackrock Carmel
1998:
30 March - Visit of President Mary McAleese
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2001:
Visit of the relics of St. Therese - read our special page on the visit here
2002:
Sr. Mary Gabriel returned from Lithuania to assist with planning the new monastery
2003:
1st October - foundation stone of new monastery is laid
2004:
During building work, the community lived with the nearby Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus who run the primary and secondary
schools of St. Raphaela's in Stillorgan. We are ever grateful to the
Handmaids for sharing their home with us for eighteen months, and have
many happy memories of our times with them.
 2005:
17th March - official opening of new monastery - read our special page on the new monastery here
2009:
Return visit of the relics of St. Therese |
