We are a community of Dominican friars, Catholic priests, who preach, minister and work both locally in Newbridge and elsewhere.
As of autumn of 2023, one lecturers at university in Rome, one travels all over Ireland to promote vocations to our Order, one is a chaplain in our secondary school Newbridge College, and several do lots of more varied things in Newbridge and environs.
How did a community of Dominican friars come to Newbridge?
Our community was founded officially under the patronage of Saint Eustace in the year 1356 at Naas, Co Kildare, approximately 10km from what was to become Newbridge.
Following the Protestant Reformation and the suppression of religious communities in the first half of the sixteenth century, our priory was suppressed in 1590, although the friars remained in the area. One of the priors, Fr Peter O’Higgins, was executed in 1641 in Dublin, and later recognised a Catholic martyr. He was beatified with sixteen other Irish martyrs of the era by Pope St John Paul II in 1992.
In 1731, the Dominicans of Naas were living at Yeomanstown near Caragh. By 1756 there were six friars assigned to the community.
The Dominicans came to Newbridge in 1756, and the foundation of Naas was officially transferred to there in 1769 or 1777.
In 1852 a school was founded which has lasted to this day: Newbridge College. At one point there were almost thirty friars living in the community and most worked in the school.
Today there are eight of us with ages evenly spanning six decades.
To keep abreast of activities around our community, follow our social media https://linktr.ee/dominicansnewbridge
For information about our Order: https://linktr.ee/irishdominicans