Renata Steffens
The Benedictine nuns of the Kylemore Abbey located in Connemara, Co. Galway celebrated the opening of a new monastery on August 17. The official blessing ceremony of the new purpose-built home for the fifteen nuns, was led by Archbishop of Tuam Francis Duffy.
The building was originally planned to be completed by December 2020, as part of the centenary of the Benedictine community at Kylemore Abbey. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions the celebration and the monastery were put on hold.
During the opening ceremony, Archbishop Duffy said it was an unusual event, as people are used to news of convents and monasteries closing. “Don’t let the significance of this most historic moment pass you by,” the Archbishop said.
“We wanted a purpose-built monastery that is conducive to the kind of spiritual life we wanted to live and would be open to guests so that we could share our life with other people”, former Abbess, Sr Máire Hickey told the Irish Independent.