In 1883, the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) purchased from Edward and James Quinn, Dromore house and estate in county Down. It had been the former palace of the Church of Ireland bishop of Dromore. The Jesuits renamed it Loyola House, and ran it as a novitiate house (house of first formation for Jesuits). The decision to move to Dromore from Milltown Park, Dublin was twofold. Firstly, Jesuits from University College at Temple Street had moved to Milltown Park, meaning that the building occupied by the novices was required. As a result, Milltown Park was overcrowded and deemed unsuitable as a novitiate. Secondly, Monsignor William McCartan, parish priest of Dromore made an offer of Dromore house and estate to the Jesuits. McCartan had been entrusted in the will of the late Miss Anna Magennis to oversee the establishment of a religious order in Dromore and he encouraged the Jesuits to establish a house in Dromore. In 1887, Fr Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (1844-1889) wrote two sonnets while staying there.
The novitiate house operated for four years and closed in 1888 when the Jesuits novices moved to St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, King’s County. The Jesuits retained possession of the property until January 1918, when it was sold.
Archival History ↴
Material collected by Irish Jesuits.
Immediate Source Acquisition ↴
Official Transfer
Content & Structure
Scope & Content: Irish Jesuits ↴
The papers of Loyola House, Dromore, Down concern its purchase (1883-1889), legal and rental matters (1883 -1917), finances (1885-1917) and accounts (1883-1887), maintenance (1890-1918) and sale (1896-1918). Includes some historical notes on Dromore. Material is in the form of letters, deeds, plans and maps.
Appraisal Destruction ↴
All items retained permanently
Accruals ↴
No further accruals expected
Arrangement ↴
Material was catalogued in 1999 and 2009.
Conditions of Access & Use
Access Conditions
No material may be reproduced without the written permission of the Archivist. Copyright restrictions apply. Photocopying is not available. Digital photography is at the discretion of the Archivist.
Conditions Governing Reproduction
The Irish Jesuit Archives are open only to bona fide researchers. Access by advance appointment. Further details: www.jesuitarchives.ie
Laheen, Fr Kevin A SJ, 'The Jesuits in Tullabeg: A Century of Service 1814-1914', O’Brien Publications 2009.
Murray, Henry, 'The Jesuits in Dromore 1884-1888' taken from the Journal of Dromore & District Local Historical Group, Vol. 1, 1991, pp24 - 33.
Descriptive Control Area
Archivist Note
Damien Burke
Rules/Conventions
IGAD: Irish Guidelines for Archival Description. Dublin: Society of Archivists, Ireland, 2009.
ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description. 2nd ed. Ottowa: International Council on Archives, 2000.
National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names. Chippenham: National Council on Archives, 1997. Irish Guidelines for Indexing Archives. Dublin: Archives and Records Association, Ireland, 2013
