Ground-breaking at Kilnacrott

A public event to mark the official ground-breaking for a new faith centre at the former Holy Trinity Abbey site at Kilnacrott, near Ballyjamesduff, will take place this weekend.

The event is set to take place on Saturday afternoon, June 22, with a brief liturgy followed by light refreshments and an opportunity to see plans for the new multi-million euro project from 1pm.

The faith centre development secured planning permission last April and is set to be delivered by Direction For Our Times Ireland CLG (DFOT), a religious organisation led by a lay apostolate ‘Anne’, real name Kathryn Ann Clarke, an American author best known for her young adult fiction.

Work to demolish the Holy Trinity Abbey at Kilnacrott near Ballyjamesduff, which once sheltered one of the most prolific child abusers the church has ever seen, Brendan Smyth, will begin on July 1.

Smyth, who died in jail in 1997, is buried on the site, which once served as a national headquarters for the Norbertine Order. DFOT say the grave will 'serve as a reminder of the impact of abuse and the historical mishandling of it. Moral and societal obligations to survivors were not met, a source of resounding anger and grief for all. Going forward, prevention becomes our focus'.

Immediately after the near 175-year-old abbey is knocked, construction will start on the phased development of a new faith centre and other facilities.

DFOT purchased the Holy Trinity Abbey and some of the lands for a sum exceeding €600,000 in 2012, and first announced plans to build a new ‘Faith Formation Centre’ back in 2019.

The property, now called Tearmann Anima or ‘The Soul Sanctuary’, will act as home to the Church-recognised Catholic association called ‘Apostolate of the Returning King’.

DFOT have been granted a lengthy 10-year permission in which to complete their planned works.

The €8m project has already received a grant of €5.5m from the Papal Foundation based in Philadelphia, and fundraising continues on Phase One of the development.