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Collection
Rathfarnham Castle Subfonds
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Fr Richard H Brenan SJ

  • IE IJA J/495
  • Subfonds
  • 10 August 1936 - 31 December 1995
  • Part of Irish Jesuits

File relating to the admission of Richard Brenan to the Society of Jesus and subsequent professional life including correspondence relating to retreat work and from a sabbatical year at the École S. Louis de Gonzague, 12 rue Franklin, 75016, Paris. Includes a relic of St Francis Xavier, inherited by Fr Richard brenan SJ (1979).

Brenan, Richard Henry, 1918-1995, Jesuit priest

Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin

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 papers of Rathfarnham Castle concern: the management of Rathfarnham Castle (1911-1995); the Jesuit community (1913-1985); the history of Rathfarnham Castle (1912-1994); the farm (1917-1920); the seismograph (1918-1954) and retreats (1922-1995). Material is in the form of letters, plans, maps and photographs.

Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin