Courtney McGrailEmma Cronin and Catherine Sutherland describe a school trip to Glenstal Abbey
Last month, the Transition Year students attending the Patrician Presentation Secondary School in Fethard, Co. Tipperary set out on an unforgettable excursion to the beautiful Glenstal Abbey near Murroe, Co. Limerick. Our small rural school was blown away by both the historical and spiritual surroundings of the premises.
When we arrived it was a lovely sunny day and we met one of the resident monks, Brother Pádraig, who would be our tour guide for the day. He began by telling us a bit about the history of the Abbey. The monks run a 500 acre estate which includes looking after a dairy farm, guest house, secondary school and gardens as well as officiating at Mass three times a day in the Abbey church.
As we stood in front of the stunning masterpiece, we were informed about the details encompassing the Benedictine monastery, home to roughly 242 students and 40 monks.
The abbey was originally a Norman Revivalist Castle built by the Barrington family in 1839 and converted to a monastery in 1929. The designer, William Bardwell, intended for the estate to appear like it was a 12th-century castle; this is evident in the inscription on the tower resembling 1139, rather than 1839. The impressive grounds radiated wealth and status but also a sense of spiritual purity as we moved through the tour.
Icon Chapel
Once we had familiarised ourselves with its history we were taken to a room called the ‘cinema-gym’ for a snack and hot chocolate and watched a 23-minute DVD on the history of the Icon Chapel.
The icons themselves originate from Russia. In the 1970s, a Swiss woman, Joa Bolendas, had a vision in which she was shown the icons by St Nicolas, the patron saint of Russia. She sent investigators to Ireland to find out where these icons were.
The icons had been given to Glenstal Abbey in the 1950s by Sir Thomas Gratton-Esmonde. In the 1980s the icons were placed in a special location under the main church and it was officially opened on April 10, 1988, the millennium in 988 of Christianity’s arrival in Russia.
We then had to opportunity to visit the Icon Chapel. It was amazing to see all the detailed icons and there was a wonderfully peaceful feeling in the chapel.
As we entered into the chamber-like room filled with blessed art and icons, the silence and dim atmosphere allowed for personal reflection to take place as we gazed at each piece. The dome ceiling was also illuminated with the four Evangelist symbols.
Transition Year focuses on all aspects of enhancing the individual, including spiritual growth.
The Icon Chapel definitely made an impact on the students; the sacred sentiment found within that space was transformative.
We then had the pleasure of experiencing Mass in the Abbey Church. Appropriately as it was such a beautiful day outside, the Gospel was about the idea of Jesus as the light and this theme was developed in the homily.
Chanting
There were 23 monks present at the Mass. It was delightful to hear the Gregorian chanting. Glenstal Abbey is one of the only monasteries in Ireland that preserves the chanting. The ceremony was yet another opportunity for the students to reflect and connect on a holy level.
Lunch came next and we ate our packed snacks and then explored the surrounding gardens of the abbey. First up was the Ladies Garden, originally a garden for the ladies of the castle, its location specifically chosen to allow the men of the castle to keep watch over them.
There had been trees planted recently in this garden, in memory of some of the signatories of the 1916 Rising.
From here we had a look around the monks’ graveyard and finished our tour in the beautiful walled garden. With the soft wind and the bright sun, there was no day more perfect to walk in the historical gardens. Some students stopped here and there for a quick picture and made the most of their experience.
We left Glenstal with a treasure trove of memories. If you are searching for a place to reflect on what it really means to be a person of faith or re-establish faith, there is nowhere better than Glenstal Abbey.
The students from Fethard are truly grateful for the wonderful experience they had at the beautiful Glenstal Abbey and would like to thank everyone who made the trip possible.
“To speak and to teach, indeed, befits the master; to be silent and to listen the disciple.” – Rule of Benedict.
*Emma Cronin is a Transition Year student and Catherine Sutherland is an American exchange student in the Patrician Presentation Secondary School in Fethard, Co. Tipperary, one of the 62 schools managed by the Le Chéile Schools Trust on behalf of 14 religious congregations.