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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.

The papers of Killiney Castle, Dublin deal with the purchase of Killiney Castle by the Society of Jesus, accounts, changes to the exterior and interior, the letting of the Killiney Castle and the eventually sale of Killiney Castle by the Society of Jesus.

Box 18, 2.

Letters regarding budgets for Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin (2001);

The present 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, County Laois to Manresa, where it was situated until 1991.

The papers of Manresa House, Dollymount, Dublin concern the early history of the house, financial issues, building and development, retreat work and the horse show at Manresa (1963-1973). There are references to the artworks of Richard Enda King and Evie Hone. Material is in the form of letters, ledgers, architectural plans, maps and photographs.

The papers of St Francis Xavier’s, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin concentrate on the history and work of the church and community, domestic and spiritual matters, penny dinners, benefactors, general administration, finances, retreats, lectures, novenas, missions, sodalities, relics, the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association and St. Francis Xavier's Hall.

The material is mainly in the form of letters, ledgers, plans, maps and photographs.

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.

The papers of St Ignatius House of Writers, Lower Leeson Street deal with the interior and exterior of the buildings, renovations, deeds, domestic and Jesuit community matters and finance. For University Hall, the material relates to bequests, property issues, stained glass, examinations and accounts. There is a small amount of material on Studies, the Sacred Heart Messenger and An Timire. The material is mainly in the form of letters, ledgers, architectural plans, maps and photographs.