Christian Brothers say farewell to Carrick-on-Suir

Carrick-on-Suir's last Christian Brothers have bade farewell following the sale of their Monastery house on the Pill Road ending the religious order's 213 years presence in the town. 

The last three Brothers, Seán Ó’Dúgáin, Seamus Whelan and Éamonn MacLochlainn have now relocated to Dublin, Nenagh and Wexford. 

Their departure marks the end of an era for the town though the order's legacy lives on in the CBS Green School and CBS Monastery Secondary School, which are now under the trusteeship of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust. 

The  Monastery, which  was home to Carrick-on-Suir's Christian Brothers since 1805, has been sold. It  was the second CBS monastery founded by Edmund Ignatius Rice.   In recent years, it  was renamed Brú na Cruinne Cosmology and Spirituality Centre where courses in spirituality, cosmology, the roots of Christianity and mindfulness were run. 

Before their departure from Carrick-on-Suir, Brothers Ó’Dúgáin, Whelan and MacLochlain   hosted a social evening at Brú na Cruinne  for the people who attended the Centre's courses and members of community groups the brothers were involved with in Carrick-on-Suir.   

The social night took place on August 13. The brothers and their guests enjoyed a buffet meal prepared by chef Helen O'Brien, who worked at Brú na Cruinne for four and a half years. 

Guests praised the brothers for facilitating the courses they had learned so much from. All agreed they  always felt welcome at the Centre and were saddened at its closure. 

Brothers Séan, Seamus and Éamonn thanked everyone for always making them welcome in Carrick-on-Suir. They said people here were ‘the salt of the earth’ and spoke of how the years spent in the town were among the ‘most glorious’ of their lives. 

Now living back in his home town of Nenagh, Brother Seamus says he has happy memories of his 11 years  in Carrick-on-Suir. 

"I miss Carrick-on-Suir. I loved the town and its people. It's a very friendly town," he said. 

Br. Seamus was involved in organising and teaching courses at Brú Cruinne during his years there.  He has a passion for the study of cosmology, which explores the creation of the universe, its vastness and infinity and how that relates to the mystery of God.

He particularly enjoyed his work at the Centre with a group of up to 20 "very bright, very well read and reflective" women. He found he learned a lot from them. 

Br. Whelan worked in primary and secondary education throughout his career and was principal of  CBS The Green Secondary School in Tralee before his retirement 13 years ago. He never taught in Carrick-on-Suir's CBS schools.

He recalled that Carrick-on-Suir's CBS monastery was originally built by a wealthy merchant from Dungarvan called Tom O'Brien, who gave it to the Christian Brothers and spent some time living there as his health was poor. He used to travel to Carrick-on-Suir on the Bianconi coaches. 

"All that is history. Everything changes and change is the only thing you can be sure of," he reflected.