The
Jesuits and
Following
the departure of the Dawson-Damer family to
In
1929, the Society of Jesus decided to look for a new novitiate house which
would be suitably remote and peaceful.
The
House was opened as the Novitiate of the
The
Jesuits had bought the house, the gardens with walks,terraces and the Grapery behind it, the walled
garden with glasshouses, and the lake. They also had right of way around the
lake. Much of the original estate had been retained by the Land Commission and
was let out to local farmers and there was also a
Changes
Changes
had to be made to turn the family home into an institution. There had always
been some difficulties with water but these were sorted by taking a supply via
the lake from the Toberkine well. 3000 gallons a day
were pumped to the house.
A large
shed (called the ambulacrum) was raised at the back
of the house so that exercise could still be taken in bad weather. This shelter
was used as a temporary chapel while alterations were being made within the
house.
Central
heating and washing facilities had to be installed. Bedrooms had to be turned
into dormitories.
Perhaps
most importantly, a chapel had to be constructed by amalgamating the rotunda
and the (now) library and removing columns, doors, a mantlepiece
and walls. Anything that was removed was stored in the basement.
The
ballroom or saloon (originally the library) at the east end of the house became
the community refectory, and the marble columns here too were removed and
stored.
“An
altogether barbaric record” says Fr Anthony Symondson
in his article in the Irish Arts Review
1997 ‘A Miraculous Survival:
Repairs
In
1958, dry rot was discovered and the roof needed repairs. There was damp in the
Bachelors’ Quarters, where some of the Jesuits slept. More space was needed
also. Michael Scott, the well-known architect, was consulted and recommended
pulling down the whole building and starting afresh. This was not done, but
extensive repairs and rebuilding were carried out at the instigation of the
Rector, Fr Donal O’Sullivan, and oil-fired central
heating was installed. Overall, £40,000 was spent on building works by the
Jesuits.
Departure
In the
60s, it became apparent that St Mary’s was too isolated for the more modern
ideas about training novices for work with the Society. The Novitiate moved to Manresa House in north
In the
late 60s, the number of Novices had diminished, so that in the final years at
St Mary’s, there were 15 Novices, of whom 6 had dropped out during their two
years training. This meant that it was exceedingly expensive to run the house
for so few men, even with visitors coming to stay for various reasons. In
September 1969, the Jesuits left Emo for Manresa House in Dollymount. Over
500 young men had begun their lives as Jesuits at Emo.