Kylemore Abbey lights up to celebrate 100 years of Benedictine Order

THE Kylemore Trust has formally switched on the lights of the 19th century Kylemore Abbey as part of a year-long programme of events to celebrate 100 years of the Benedictine Order of nuns in Kylemore Abbey in Connemara.

Kylemore Abbey will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by lighting up the abbey in green, joining hundreds of global landmarks across the world.

The centrepiece the 2020 programme is the illumination of the iconic abbey, which will take place each day at dusk.

The illumination will be visible for miles around the beautiful Pollacappul Lough, deep in the Connemara hills.

Speaking about this special year, the Abbess and Chair of Kylemore Trust, Mother Máire Hickey OSB, said: “For a century our Benedictine sisters have been at the heart of Kylemore Abbey, giving expression to the Rule of St. Benedict, living a life of contemplation and bearing witness to God’s love. Central to our Benedictine ethos is the concept of ‘ora et labora’ - prayer and labour.

“Over this year we will remember all those who have helped make Kylemore Abbey such a special place – our sisters in faith; the many staff – past and present – who have worked with us; our alumnae and friends in the community and our benefactors; while we also remember that our forebears began their mission in Connemara as refugees from the horrors of war.’”

Mother Máire added: “As we celebrate 100 years in Kylemore, we give thanks for the blessings of the past century and we look forward with confidence to the future.

“The Benedictine community shares a sense of renewed purpose as we complete our new monastery in this our centenary year. We look forward to welcoming pilgrims and visitors to share with us this place of beauty and tranquillity that nurtures our focus on horizons of hope in dark times for our fragile world.”

The Benedictine nuns fled the Belgian town of Ypres in 1914 at the start of the First World War before permanently settling in Kylemore Abbey in 1920.