Clonard Monastery

Welcome to Clonard Monastery, a Redemptorist religious community that has stood as a beacon of spiritual and social support in West Belfast since 1896. As you stand before the impressive gates, you are entering a space that has…

Our tour begins directly opposite the church gates at Clonard House. This elegant structure was the Redemptorists' first home in Belfast, provided to them by Bishop Henry in 1896. …

Now, let us turn our attention to the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer. Completed in 1911 at a cost of 32,000 pounds—a staggering sum at the time—it is a masterpiece of early French Gothic design. …

As we enter the church, the sensory experience shifts from the urban noise of Belfast to a profound, hallowed stillness. You are greeted by an 'arcade of polished red granite columns' that support the soaring Gothic arches of the…

One cannot understand Clonard without understanding the 'annual Perpetual Novena of our Lady.' Held over nine successive days in June, this event is the most significant public devotion in the monastery's calendar. It attracts…

Beneath the floor of the church lies a space that tells a different, more somber story: the Crypt. Here are entombed the 'remains of 40 priests and brothers' who served the community. …

Perhaps the most historically significant political events to occur within these walls were the 'crucial talks' between Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and SDLP leader John Hume. Beginning in 1988, these secret meetings took…

Our final stop focuses on the contemporary work of the monastery through the 'Clonard-Fitzroy Fellowship.' This initiative promotes 'mutual understanding, respect, and common witness' between the Roman Catholic congregation here…

As we conclude our tour of Clonard Monastery, we are left with a profound sense of the 'sacrifices made' and the 'enduring spirit' of this community. This site has been a 'silent witness' to the most 'turbulent times' in Irish…