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The first Jesuits to set foot in Australia, Fr Aloysius Kranewitter SJ and Fr Maximilian Klinkowstroem SJ, came from Austria. They arrived in Adelaide in 1848. In 1853, a property was bought near Clare. Fr Kranewitter named it Sevenhill.

Two Irish Jesuits established a community in Melbourne in 1865, and three more Austrians and one of the first native-born Australians to become a Jesuit established a community in Darwin in 1882.

The Australian Province was formally established in 1950, with Fr Austin Kelly SJ its first Provincial, having being a Vice-Province in 1931.

After the restoration of the Society of Jesus in 1814, a Jesuit community took over the vacant Poor Clare convent in Hardwicke Street, Dublin. The establishment of St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Upper Gardiner Street in 1832 provided the Jesuits with the premises necessary to establish a school. St. Francis College was established at Hardwicke Street in 1832 however it proved to be too small for this emerging school. New premises were needed and Belvedere House, Great Denmark Street was bought in 1841. The Jesuits at Belvedere remained part of the Gardiner Street community until 1842, with total independence in 1847.

John Curtis, Superior (at Gardiner Street, 1841;
Charles Ferguson, Rector, 1845;
Patrick Meagher, Vice-Rector, 1 January 1846;
Patrick Meagher, Rector, 14 March 1847;
John Ffrench, Rector, 30 November 1855;
Francis Murphy, Rector, 24 June 1856;
Michael O'Ferrall, Rector, 31 July 1858;
Matthew Seaver, Rector, 10 October 1861;
Edward Kelly, Rector, 2 August 1864;
Joseph Lentaigne, Rector, 18 August 1872;
John Matthews, Rector, 7 August 1873;
James Dalton, Minister
Thomas Kelly, Minister, 28 February 1879;
Edmund Donovan, Vice-Rector, 5 October 1882;
Thomas Finlay, Rector, 23 June 1883
James Cullen, Vice-Rector, 14 July 1888;
Matthew Devitt, Vice-Rector, 31 July 1889;
Matthew Devitt, Rector, 8 September 1890;
Thomas Wheeler, Rector, 31 July 1891;
Henry William, Vice-Rector, 15 August 1894;
Henry William, Rector, 28 August 1895;
Nicholas Tomkin, Rector, 29 June 1900;
James Brennan, Rector, 21 August 1908;
John Fahy, Rector, 30 July 1913;
Charles Doyle, Rector, 27 July 1919;
Michael Quinlan, Rector, 30 July 1922;
John Coyne, Rector, 29 October 1928;
Patrick Morris, Rector, 14 February 1931;
John O'Connor, Rector, 16 June 1936;
James Gubbins, Rector, 29 July 1942;
Denis P Kennedy, Vice-Rector, 30 July 1945;
Denis P Kennedy, Rector, 2 June 1947;
Redmond Roche, Rector, 30 July 1953;
Francis McDonagh, Rector, 24 June 1959;
Henry Nolan, Rector, 2 August 1965;
John Kerr, Rector, 31 July 1968;

Clongowes Wood College was bought by the Jesuits in 1814 at the cost of £16,000. In 1886, the Jesuit-run St. Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, county Offaly, was amalgamated with Clongowes Wood College. The school is dedicated to St. Aloysius of Gonzaga and is twinned with Portora Royal School, Enniskillen.

Rectors of Clongowes:
Peter Kenney 1814
Charles Aylmer 1817
Bartholomew Esmonde 1820
Peter Kenney 1821
Bartholomew Esmonde 1830
Robert Haly 1836
Robert St Leger 1841
Robert Haly 1842
Michael Kavanagh 1850
Joseph Lentaigne 1855
John McDonald 1858
Eugene Browne 1860
Robert Carbery 1870
Thomas Keating 1876
Edward Kelly 1881
John Conmee 1885
Matthew Devitt 1891
Michael Browne 1900
James Brennan 1900
Vincent Byrne 1904

Since 1620 the Jesuits have, with some involuntary intermissions, been working in Galway. In 1645 our first school was founded through the generosity of Edmund Kirwan. The school, incorporated it seems into a Jesuit residence in the present Abbeygate St, survived and flourished although it had been established at a time of political upheaval and military activity. After the surrender of Galway to the Cromwellian forces in 1652, the Jesuits tried to maintain contact with the people of the area, and there is reference in 1658 to three members of the Society living secretly in County Galway. Jesuits returned openly to Galway after the Restoration of Charles II, but were banished again by Williamite forces in 1691. Once more they made a comeback in 1728 and for forty years they worked among the people of Galway. Sadly, a decrease in manpower forced the withdrawal of the “Mission” in 1768.

In 1859, at the request of the Bishop, members of the Order once more took up residence in the city, this time in Prospect Hill and served in St Patrick’s Church. Within a year they had opened a college near the site of the present Bank of Ireland at 19 Eyre Square. The college’s present location on Sea Road dates from 1863. The modern phase of Coláiste Iognáid began in 1929. The local enthusiasm for the language revival efforts of the emerging State was to be served by a re-invigorated Coláiste Iognáid, which became an Irish-medium School in 1931.

The college now is a co-educational, bilingual, non-fee-paying secondary school.

The first Jesuit school in Limerick was founded by Father David Wolfe SJ (1528-c.1578) in 1565. Over the next three hundred years, the Jesuits presence in Limerick ebbed and flowed. By 1640, a Jesuit residence was established at Castle Lane and by 1672, a school was opened near St Mary’s Cathedral. After an interval of eighty-six years from the Suppression of the Society in 1773, the Jesuits returned to Limerick in 1859 after Bishop John Ryan (1784-1864) had invited the Society to establish a school in the city. The school initially opened in 1859 as St Munchin's College on Hartstonge Street. The pioneer Jesuit community in 1859 were Frs. Edward Kelly (1824-1905) (Rector), Thomas Kelly (1829-1898), Peter Foley (1826-1893), Edmund Hogan (1831-1917), Matthew Saurin (1825-1901) and one scholastic, Mr. Matthew Russell (1834-1912). In January 1862, the Jesuits purchased a neighbouring residence, Crescent House. The church building was started in 1864, opened in 1868 and named after the Sacred Heart in 1869. The college had ceased to be a seminary for the diocese in 1867 and was renamed the Sacred Heart College in 1873. Commonly known as the Crescent College, it ceased to be a fee paying school in 1971 and became the Crescent College Comprehensive SJ. In 1973 the Comprehensive moved to a modern greenfield site at Dooradoyle. Later it became a co-educational school and the Crescent Preparatory School was closed in 1976.

In 1947, the decision to open a Jesuit school on the south side of Dublin was taken. The purchase in 1949 of Sandford Lodge and Sandford Hill belonging to the Bewley Estate consisted of 15 acres in Ranelagh, two miles south of Dublin city centre. The college opened on 8 September 1950, with 52 boys registering. The founding Jesuit Superior (and later first Rector) was Fr Charles O' Conor SJ (The O' Conor Don) (1906-1981) and the first Prefect of Studies was Fr Bill White SJ (1912-1988).

The church in Hardwicke Street (where the Jesuits had been since the 1730s) had opened in 1821, but by 1829 had become too small for the congregation. Previously had be a nunnery for the order of St Clare, who moved to Harold' Cross. The Jesuits opened a school in the church in Hardwicke Street in 1832 and in 1841, they purchased Belvedere House (Belvedere College).

Vice Province of Hong Kong, 1966-1980
Vice Province of Macau-Hong Kong, 1980-1985
Province of Macau-Hong Kong, 1985-1991
Macau-Hong Kong Region of the Chinese Province, 1991-2002
Hong Kong has Provincial delegate, 2002-2005

See: Irish Jesuit Mission to Hong Kong, 3 December 1926-3 December 1966

The Irish Jesuit Mission to Australia was initiated due to the will of Fr John Joseph Therry (1790-1864), who named the Irish Jesuits as beneficiaries to his property in Australia, and by an invitation to the Irish Province by James Alipius Goold, Bishop of Melbourne (later Archbishop) (1812-1886) to set-up a mission in his diocese. The first two Irish Jesuits, Frs William Lentaigne (1805-1884) and William Kelly (1823-1909), arrived in Melbourne in September 1865. Previously, two Austrian Jesuits, Frs Kranewitter (1817-1880) and Klinkowstroem (1819-1896) had arrived in 1848 after Jesuit expulsion from Austria. The Austrian Mission centred on South Australia and the Northern Territory. In 1901, the Austrian and Irish missions amalgamated. Australia was made a Vice-Province in 1931 and Fr Austin Kelly SJ (1891-1978) was named the first Provincial of the Australian Province in 1950.

The Irish Jesuits worked in Australia as missionaries, educators, writers, chaplains, theologians, scientists, pastors and directors of retreats, mainly in the urban communities of eastern Australia.

Many Jesuit Provinces had missions in China before 1926 when the Vicar Apostolic of Hong Kong, Fr Henry Valtorta (1883-1953), invited the Irish Jesuits to his vicariate. In October 1926, Frs George Byrne (1879-1962) and John Neary (1889-1983) left Dublin for Hong Kong, which became a Mission for the Irish Province. They were joined, in early 1927, by Fr Daniel Finn (1886-1936) from Australia and later by Frs Richard Gallagher (1887-1960), Patrick Joy (1892-1970) and Daniel MacDonald (1891-1957).

The initial work of the mission concentrated in Hong Kong, with some teaching in Canton and Macao. Their works involved: reviving the Catholic journal, ‘The Rock’; the opening of a hostel (Ricci Hall) for Chinese Catholic students at the University of Hong Kong (1929-); their involvement in the Regional Seminary, Aberdeen, Hong Kong (1931-1964), Wah Yan College, Hong Kong (1932-) and Wah Yan College, Kowloon (1952-). Some lecturing occurred in the university, in areas such as archaeology, education, engineering, and geography. In Canton, Frs. Michael Saul (1884-1932) and Joseph McCullough (1892-1932) died from cholera. Hong Kong was under Japanese occupation 1941 - 1945. The Irish Jesuits organised a school for refugees from Hong Kong in Macao and the Regional Seminary was also moved to Macao. Wah Yan College was closed in 1941 and reopened in 1945. Fr. Thomas Ryan’s account “Jesuits under Fire in the siege of Hong Kong 1941” deals fully with this time.

After World War Two, the Irish Jesuits established a language school, student centre and parish in Canton. They were expelled by the Communists in [1953]. Wah Yan College grew and developed and further works included the foundation of a university hostel at Kingsmead Hall, Singapore and at Xavier Hall, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Other works of note that Irish Jesuits had a hand in establishing and running in Hong Kong include: the Hong Kong Housing Society (1938); Wah Yan Relief Association (1938); Shoeshine Boys Club (1952-1962); the Credit Union Movement (1962); Rehabilitation Centre for the Handicapped (1962); Catholic Marriage Advisory Council (1963); Road Safety Association for Schools (1964); Industrial Relations Institute (1968); Chinese Opera in English (1960s); Fisherman’s Children School (1960s) and Welfare for Police in the Training School. In 1966, Hong Kong became a Jesuit Vice-Province and in 1985, the Province of Macau-Hong Kong was established. Today, Hong Kong is a unit within the Chinese Jesuit Province.

Over a hundred Irish Jesuits have served in Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Singapore - 30 of whom are buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Hong Kong and two in mainland China.

Superiors of Hong Kong Mission
George Byrne, 2 Decmber 1926-8 November 1935;
Thomas Cooney, 9 November 1935-8 October 1941;
Patrick Joy, 8 October 1941-7 August 1947;
Thomas Ryan, 8 August 1947-2 October 1950;
Richard Harris, 3 October 1950-8 May 1957;
Thomas Byrne, 9 May 1957-20 June 1960;
Herbert Dargan, 21 June 1960-9 August 1965;
Fergus Cronin, 10 August 1965-3 December 1966;

Hong Kong Vice-Province, 3 December 1966.
Vice-Provincial, Fergus Cronin, 3 December 1966-.

Vice Province of Hong Kong, 1966-1980
Vice Province of Macau-Hong Kong, 1980-1985
Province of Macau-Hong Kong, 1985-1991
Macau-Hong Kong Region of the Chinese Province, 1991-2002
Hong Kong has Provincial delegate, 2002-2005

Irish Jesuits arrived, in what was then Northern Rhodesia, in 1946. They worked in parish work, education and development, and geographically, this took place in the southern part of the country and in the capital, Lusaka. The impact of the Irish presence is seen especially in Canisius High School and Charles Lwanga College of Education in Chikuni, the parishes in the Monze Diocese, and development projects around the diocese. The Vice-Province of Zambia was formed in 1969 and the Province of Zambia and Malawi was established in 1992. The Irish Jesuits' work in Zambia is complemented by other Jesuit Provinces such as: Canada; Croatia; Oregon; Poland and Slovenia.

Located originally at Belvedere College, Great Denmark Street, Dublin, the office moved to 37 Lower Leeson Street in 1963.

The Irish Province of the Society of Jesus is the local branch of the Society of Jesus, one of the largest religious orders in the Catholic Church, was formed in 1860, having been a Vice-Province from 1830. When Fr Peter Kenney SJ, led the Jesuits back to Ireland in 1814 after the Suppression of the Society (1773-1814) his first action was to open a new school at Clongowes Wood College. In the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century the Order was associated with training Catholics to take on a leadership role in the emerging independent Ireland.

In 1873 the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) purchased Killiney Castle to be used as a villa house (holiday). The events leading up to the purchase of this property were quite long and protracted. In a memorandum written by Fr William Delany SJ (1835-1924), CM/KILL/3, he describes how the Society came across Killiney Castle and the negotiations that took place to secure its purchase. After viewing the property the Jesuit Fathers were very inclined towards it and decided to make an offer of £11,000 for the Castle and its estate. However, before the deal was finally settled Fr Nicolas Walsh SJ (1826-1914) Provincial, insisted, despite grave objections by some of the other priests, on telling the Cardinal (Paul Cullen).

This action proved to be a mistake with the Cardinal reacting negatively to the property deal (permission from the Cardinal was necessary for the establishment of a new religious house but not for the purchase of a property). Fr Delany describes how it was now too late to back out of the deal and insisted on informing the owner of Killiney Castle (Mr. Warren) of the difficulty that had arisen. Fr Delany was also delegated to pay a visit to the Cardinal to plead the case on behalf of the Society and to outline their plans for the property. Again the Cardinal was not supportive, particularly when it was mentioned that the Society of Jesus were thinking of opening a school for boys. Eventually an agreement was reached that the property could be bought but that a decision as to how it would be utilised would have to be deferred. Because of the delay Fr Delany discovered, after his meeting with the Cardinal, that another offer had been made and accepted. This second obstacle made it necessary for Fr Delany to enter another set of negotiations to purchase the property from Mr. Richard Martin for the sum of £12,250.

Following the purchase of the property in 1873 by the Society of Jesus a good deal of structural and maintenance work was carried out e.g. CM/KILL/4 and CM/KILL/8 - CM/KILL/13. Despite the work carried out and the outlay of money on improving the Castle and grounds the Society made a decision to sell the property only six years later in 1879 to Mr. Chippindale Higgin CM/KILL/33. It would appear that the Castle and estate were sold at a loss to the Society. The collection does not reveal why the Society decided to sell Killiney Castle. However, the collection does reveal that a number of different parties were interested in purchasing the property e.g. the Brothers of St. John of God in France (CM/KILL/1, CM/KILL/35 and CM/KILL/37), an American gentleman (CM/KILL/36) and Mr. Chippendale Higgin (CM/KILL/33), the eventual purchaser.

It should be noted that the Society of Jesus had two residences in Killiney. In 1853 the Catalogue names the following as residing in Killiney; Robert St. Leger (1788-1856), John St. Leger (1798-1868), William Moloney (1796-1886) and James Reardon (1799-l.1856). This residence was known as Druid Lodge. The preceding Catalogue (1850) makes no mention of a Killiney residence and similarly the succeeding Catalogue (1855) does not refer to a residence in Killiney. It would appear that Druid Lodge was given up by the Society because the Archbishop opposed the construction of a church (CM/KILL/1). The second residence in Killiney was Killiney Castle (1873-1879), the papers of which are represented in this collection.

In 1883, the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) purchased from Edward and James Quinn, Dromore house and estate in county Down. It had been the former palace of the Church of Ireland bishop of Dromore. The Jesuits renamed it Loyola House, and ran it as a novitiate house (house of first formation for Jesuits). The decision to move to Dromore from Milltown Park, Dublin was twofold. Firstly, Jesuits from University College at Temple Street had moved to Milltown Park, meaning that the building occupied by the novices was required. As a result, Milltown Park was overcrowded and deemed unsuitable as a novitiate. Secondly, Monsignor William McCartan, parish priest of Dromore made an offer of Dromore house and estate to the Jesuits. McCartan had been entrusted in the will of the late Miss Anna Magennis to oversee the establishment of a religious order in Dromore and he encouraged the Jesuits to establish a house in Dromore. In 1887, Fr Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (1844-1889) wrote two sonnets while staying there.

The novitiate house operated for four years and closed in 1888 when the Jesuits novices moved to St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, King’s County. The Jesuits retained possession of the property until January 1918, when it was sold.

87 and 89 Eglinton Road, Dublin occupied by Fr Sean McCarron, 2 November 1956. The Provincial Curia moved from St Francis Xavier's, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin to 85 Eglinton Road, 16 January 1958, with the archives moving a few days previously. Fire destroyed Loyola House in 2007. Moved to Milltown Park.

See Irish Province News, April 1957.

The community house at Manresa was originally known as Granby Hall and then as Baymount Castle, being at one time the residence of Dr. Traill, a northern Church of Ireland Bishop. Renovated in 1838 by Robert Warren, it was later owned by the Irish Loreto Sisters who had a school there. Gutted by fire in 1851, the Sisters had it renovated again, sold it, and moved to Balbriggan.

In 1898 it became the property of Lord Ardilaun, a member of the Guinness family and owner of the adjoining St. Anne’s estate. About the beginning of the First World War, William Lucas Scott opened a preparatory school for boys which continued until 1936, when it was acquired by John T. Gwynn, of the well-known literary family (relative of Jesuit Aubrey Gwynn).

In 1948 the Archbishop of Dublin asked the Jesuits to establish a northside retreat house, and Baymount Castle, with its 17 acres, was bought by them.

Retreats began in 1949. Construction of a new retreat house began in 1966 to the design of architect Andrew Devane of the firm Robinson, Keefe and Devane; it was opened in 1967. In 1969, the Irish Jesuit novitiate moved from St Mary's, Emo Court, Laois to Manresa, where it was situated until 1991.

The Irish Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) approached Denis Redmond of Belmont Lodge in 1858 to act as their agent and trustee in purchasing Milltown Park from Mr Calvert Stronge, City Magistrate for £4,500. In 1860, the novitiate at Milltown Park was built and Fr Aloysius Sturzo SJ (1826-1908) arrived with sixteen Jesuits novices who had been expelled from Sicily by Garibaldi. Since that time, Milltown Park has operated as a novitiate (house of first formation), retreat house, house of philosophy and theology for the Society of Jesus in Ireland.

List of Supeiors/Rectors with date of appointment:
Edmund O'Reilly, Vice-Superior, 1 September 1858;
Daniel Jones, Vice-Superior, 23 August 1860;
Joseph Lentaigne, Vice-Superior, 8 December 1863;
Aloysius Sturzo, Vice-Rector, 8 September 1865;
Aloysius Sturzo, Rector, 17 March 1866;
Charles McKenna, Mag. Nov., 12 October 1874
Edmund O'Reilly, Rector, 29 September 1875;
James Tuite, Rector, 18 January 1879;
Robert Carbery, Rector, 10 Octobr 1880;
Wiliam O'Farrell, Mag. Nov., 24 June 1882
Eugene Browne, Rector, 11 January 1884;
Nicholas Walsh, Rector, 31 July 1889;
William Sutton, Vice-Rector, 16 August 1895;
William Sutton, Rector, 1 November 1897;
William Henry, Vice-Rector, 4 August 1903;
Peter Finlay, Rector, 24 August 1905
John Conmee, Rector, 27 December 1909
Albert Power, Vice-Rector, 19 June 1910
Albert Power, Rector, 22 October 1912
Martin Maher, Rector, 28 July 1918
John Hannon, Rector, 25 April 1924
Cyril Power, Rector, 22 October 1930
John R MacMahon, Rector, 3 August 1938
Patrick Kenny, Vice-Rector, 9 September 1941
Michael O'Grady, Rector, 6 June 1947
John R MacMahon, Rector, 27 April 1953
James Corboy, Rector, 1 June 1959
Patrick Joy, Vice-Rector, 24 April 1962
Brendan Barry, Rector, 6 August 1962
Cecil McGarry, Rector, 16 August 1965;
John F Brennan, Rector, 25 July 1968;

Mungret College, situated 3 miles west of Limerick City, was a Jesuit apostolic school (1882-1967), and a lay secondary school (1882-1974). It had previously been an agricultural college (1858-1878), and a Limerick diocesan seminary (1882-1888).

Taken from a Mungret College prospectus (c.1970): ‘Situated on the south bank of the Shannon some three miles south-west of Limerick, the College stands on the hallowed ground where, from the sixth to the twelfth century, flourished one of Ireland's most famous schools of learning-the Monastery of Mungret. There is a strong tradition that St. Nessan was its founder and first Abbot. The property was acquired by the Society of Jesus in 1882, and opened as a College in that year. From 1887 to the passing of the Irish Universities Act in 1908, candidates for the B.A. and M.A. Degrees of the Royal University took their lectures in the College.’

Rectors of Mungret College, Limerick
1882-85: William Ronan
1885-88: Jean-Baptist René
1888-91: Thomas Head
1891-1900: Vincent Byrne
1900-03: William Henry
1903-05: William Sutton
1905-08: Thomas Nolan
1908-12: Nicholas J Tomkin
1912-13: Patrick Tighe
1913-16: Edward Cahill
1916-20: James Corboy
1920-Feb.1922: John Fahy
Feb.-July 1922: John Joy
1922-27: George Roche
1927-31:Laurence Kieran
1931-36: Edward Dillon
1936-41: Joseph O'Connor
1941-47: Jeremiah Kelly
1947-50: Brian McMahon
1950-56: Francis Joy
1956-62: Gerard Perrott
1962-68: John Kerr
1968-71: Senan Timoney
1971-74: Patrick Cusack

Superiors of the Apostolic School
1882-88: Jean-Baptist René
1888-91: Thomas Head
1891-94: Vincent Byrne
1894-95: Joseph McDonnell
1895-1900: James Forristal
1900-04: Joseph McDonnell
1904-1913: Edward Cahill
1913-1919: James Tomkin
1919-20: John Fahy
1920-21: Augustine O'Kelly
1921-23: Edward Cahill
1923-May 1926: Patrick McCurtin
May-Jul 1926: Laurence Potter
1926-41: Jeremiah Kelly
1941-55: John Kelly
1955-May 1957: Daniel McDonald
May-Jun 1957: Francis Joy
1957-59: Brendan Barry
1959-67: Redmond Roche
1967-68: John Kerr
1968-71: Senan Timoney
1971-74: Patrick Cusack

The Pioneer Total Abstinence Association (PTAA) was founded in Dublin in the Presbytery of St Francis Xavier Church, Gardiner Street in December 1898 by Fr James Cullen SJ.

In 1913, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) purchased the 16th century-built Rathfarnham Castle from a Dublin building company, Bailey and Gibson. Initially, the plan was for a noviciate for Jesuit novices and in time, for working men’s retreats to be established at the Castle. However, by September 1913, this had changed to a house of studies for those Jesuits attending university. This decision was made following the change of regulations to the National University requiring students to attend lectures whereas previously they could be prepared for examinations elsewhere. The Jesuit Juniors as they were known would live at the Castle and cycle to lectures at University College Dublin, then located at Earlsfort Terrace in the centre of Dublin.

The Jesuits engaged the architect, Charles B. Powell to modify the Castle in the summer of 1913. Blessed John Sullivan SJ (1861-1933) was Rector of Rathfarnham Castle for the years 1919-1924. Sullivan was a convert and the son of Sir Edward Sullivan, Lord Chancellor of Ireland (1883-1885). Sullivan’s rectorship was significant for the building of the retreat house in 1922, (working men’s retreats at the weekends and boy’s during the week). Some Jesuits on mission staff lived there. It became a home for tertian fathers (those Jesuits taking a renewal course following ordination) in 1940. The Castle continued to function as a Juniorate until 1975 and for retreats until 1986 when the Jesuits sold Rathfarnham Castle. The following year, it was purchased for the nation by the Office of Public Works.

Superior:
James Brennan SJ, 30 July 1913-15 January 1919;
Charles Doyle SJ, 16 January 1919-26 July 1919;
John Sullivan, 26 July 1919-19 May 1924;
John Keane SJ, 20 May 1924-1 August 1930;
Thomas V Nolan SJ, 2 August 1930-23 June 1936;
Patrick Kennedy SJ, 24 June 1936-28 July 1942;
Hugh Kelly SJ, 29 July 1942-28 July 1948;
Patrick Kenny SJ, 29 July 1948-13 March 1955;
John McDonald SJ, 14 March 1955-28 June 1961;
Fergal McGrath SJ, 29 June 1961-30 July 1967;
Patrick Doyle SJ, 31 July 1967-30 June 1971;
Eric Guiry SJ, 1 July 1971-30 July 1974;
Matthew Meade SJ, 31 July 1974-31 August 1982;
Richard Brenan SJ, 1 September 1982-1985.

The Sodality of Our Lady, an association formed by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and approved by the Holy See, was a religious body which aimed at fostering in its members an ardent devotion, reverence and filial love towards the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary & St. Patrick was canonically erected in the Church of St. Francis Xavier, Upper Gardiner Street on 1st May, 1853. Members of a sodality would attend devotions in the evening time or at weekends.

The Church of St Francis Xavier in Upper Gardiner Street was one of the first churches to be built in Dublin after Catholic Emancipation (Catholic Relief Act) in 1829. The Jesuits had a small church in Hardwicke St (1816), and with the building of the St Francis Xavier's, turned the Hardwicke St property into a school, later to be named Belvedere College SJ.

In 1 July 1829, the first stone was laid at Upper Gardiner Street by Fr Charles Aylmer SJ (1786-1847), and the first Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Murray on 2 May 1832. The church cost £18,000 to build and was designed by Fr Bartholomew Esmonde SJ (1789-1862) and John B Keane (died 1859).

Those associated with the church include Matt Talbot and John Henry Cardinal Newman. Gardiner Street Church is also the resting place of Blessed John Sullivan SJ.

In 1974, Gardiner Street Parish was established by Archbishop Dermot Ryan.

Other Jesuit associations in the parish include: Belvedere College SJ, Young Adult Ministry, Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart, Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, The Peter McVerry Trust, St Joseph's Penny Dinners, Polish Ministry, Jesuit Refugee Service, and the Irish Jesuit Mission Office.

Edward Kelly
William Ronan
John Conmee, Vice-Superior
John Conmee, Superior
James Fottrell
Michael Weafer
Andrew Macardle
Francis M Browne
Fergal McGrath
Robert J Tyndall
Timothy Mulcahy
Matthew Meade
John McCarron
John Murphy

In 1883 the trustees of the Catholic University leased to the Society of Jesus the University buildings of 84, 85 and 86 St. Stephen’s Green which were given the new name of University College, Dublin. In 1908 the National University of Ireland came into existence and with that, the Jesuit community left St. Stephen’s Green for a new residence at Lower Leeson Street in 1909/10. Known as St Ignatius House of Writers since 1952, previously the house saw itself as a Collegiun Inchoatum, a burgeoning college of the National University. Many of the Jesuits who lived in the house taught at University College Dublin.

The Jesuit journal 'Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review', 'the devotional magazine 'The Sacred Heart Messenger' and the Irish language equivalent, 'An Timire', are published from Lower Leeson Street.

University Hall, also known as Hatch Hall, was a student hall of residence at Lower Hatch Street, Dublin. Founded by the Jesuits in 1913, for third level male students studying in Dublin, it was under the administration of the Superior of 35 Lower Leeson Street until 1975. It closed in 2004.

The Irish Jesuit Archives has been located at Lower Leeson Street since 1958 when it moved from Upper Gardiner Street.

Emo Court, County Laois was under Jesuit ownership from 1930 until 1969. Now in the hands of the Office of Public Works, the history of Emo dates back to the Earls of Portarlington in the eighteenth century. The first earl, John Dawson, commissioned the building of Emo Court in 1790; it is one of only a few private houses designed by the architect James Gandon. The Portarlington’s sold Emo in 1920 to the Land Commission and the Jesuits purchased the property in 1930, to be used as a novitiate (house of first formation). The Jesuits found Emo in a dilapidated state, with grass growing up through the floorboards. They made significant structural changes in order for it to function as a novitiate rather than as a family home. Many items were removed however they were stored in the basement (fireplace wrapped in blankets). Renowned photographer, Fr Frank Browne SJ, was one of the first Jesuits to take up residence there and he took many photographs of Emo Court.

In 1969, the Jesuits sold Emo to Major Cholmeley Dering Cholmeley-Harrison. He restored the house, sparing no expense, and donated it to the Irish State in 1995.

In 2012 the Office of Public Works opened a permanent exhibition on Fr Frank Browne SJ at Emo Court.

Patrick Kenny, Vice-Superior, 31 July 1930;
John Deevy, Vice-Superior, 29 July 1932;
John Deevy, Rector, 7 October 1937;
John Neary, Vice-Rector, 30 July 1944;
Jerome Mahony, Vice-Rector, 30 July 1945;
Thomas Byrne, Rector, 2 June 1947;
Donal O'Sullivan, Rector, 15 August 1947;
Timothy Mulcahy, Rector, 10 October 1959;
Patrick Cusack, Rector, 21 November 1961;
Joseph Dargan, Rector, 26 June 1968;
The noviceship changes to Manresa House, Dollymount, 12 September 1969.

The Jesuits bought Tullabeg in 1818 (dedicated it to St Stanislaus) and opened a preparatory school for boys destined to go to Clongowes Wood College, Kildare. St Stanislaus College gradually developed as an educational rival to its sister school. It merged with Clongowes Wood College in 1886. Tullabeg then became a house of Jesuit formation: novitiate (1888-1930), juniorate (1895-1911), tertianship (1911-1927) and philosophate (1930-1962). In 1962, it was decided that the students of philosophy should be sent abroad for study. Tullabeg subsequently became a retreat house and was closed in May 1991.

Rectors of Tullabeg
Robert St Leger 1818
John St Leger 1831
John Curtis 1834
John St Leger 1842
Patrick Bracken 1843
John Ffrench 1850
Matthew Seaver 1855
Joseph Dalton 1861
Alfred Murphy 1865
William Delany 1870
Aloysius Sturzo 1880
George Kelly 1883