Kylemore Abbey lights up to celebrate 100 years of Benedictine Order

The Kylemore Trust has switched on the lights of the 19th-century Kylemore Abbey as part of a year-long program of events to celebrate 100 years of the Benedictine Order of nuns in Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, Co. Galway.

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

The centerpiece of the 2020 program is the illumination of the iconic Abbey, which will take place each day at dusk. The illumination of Kylemore Abbey which will be visible for miles around the beautiful Pollacappul Lough deep in the Connemara hills.

Kylemore Abbey will be lit green for St Patrick's Day, and illuminated every day at dusk through 2020, to celebrate 100 years of its Benedictine Order in Connemara. @Kylemore #GlobalGreening pic.twitter.com/5ckJYwq1vs
— Pól Ó Conghaile (@poloconghaile) February 24, 2020

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 went on to say; “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."