The Trappists in Ireland

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 16, 20 April 1905, Page 6

The Trappists in Ireland

But few of those who have learned of the death at Rome of Dom Sebastian Wyart, Abbot-General of the reformed Cistercians, or Trappists, are probably aware that Uhis good monk had no connection with Oiteaua or witih Benedictines. Dom Wyart was head of the Order practically fdiyMed by the venerable Abbot de la Rouen, of La Traptpe, whence the name Trappists. In 1793 some Of tihe monks in Melleray, in Brittany, owing to persecutions, found a temporary refuge at Luluorth Castle, Dorsetshire, but they were enabled to return to France In 1817, the community then being over half Irrh. Owi|ng to the ranewed persecutions of 1830 Dom Vincent Ry)an t the Prior, and his compatriot, Brother Malaohy, got permission from the Abbot to for.md a (house in Ireland. 'Mellenay was smppressed cm September 28, 1831, amd Wie Irish mon'ts were brutally expelled oh NoAember 8, fin/dtoig a home at the temporary monastery of Ratinmore, near Killamey. In May, 1632, Dom Vincent Ryan was given, at a nominal rental, a vast tract of lia)nd known as Schahan (' a rough, banren place ') at the base of the Knockmeldown mountains, near Cappoquin. Cflunty Waterford. Through tihe help of willing hands the present Abbey of Mount Melleray— -replacing Schahian— was sioon mater ialised. On November 19, 1532. Mas's was said for the first time in the temporary chapel of Mount" Melleray, and on August 20, 1833, 'the foundation stone of the Abbey was laid. by Sir Richard Keane, the blessing being gnen by Bishop Abraham, of Waterford and Lismore, and a sermon in Irish was preached by Father Roger Murphy, of Aglish. Dom Vincent was raised to the Abhatlal dignity an May 17, 1835, and he welcomed Daniel O'Cennell to the ' HWy Mount ' on August 20, 1838. The first Abbot of Mount Melleray died on December 9, 1845, aged fifty-seven, leaving a community of eighty. His successor, Dom Mary Joseph Ry^n, resigned within two years, but the third Abbot, Dom Bruno Fitzpatrick, rulod from 1848 till his death in 1893. Two foundations we>re made from Mount Melleray— at Dubuiqfce, in 1850, and at Roscrea, in 1878. Ten years ago the late Dom Wyart, Abljot-General, appointed Father Louis Oaiew, of Mount Mellerav, as his assistant at Rome, a position vh eh he still fills. Father Carew is a native of Capp'oquin, and made all his studies at Mount Melleray.