As in all Dominican communities, the Channel Row nuns were devoted to the church’s liturgy, especially the Mass and the Divine Office. These were enhanced by good music (as testified in Part 6) and an organ donated by the Bellew family. The chapel was adorned, with paintings, the altar with silver candlesticks, and silver sacred vessels were used during worship. Most of these were gifts to the community from various family members and benefactors, and have survived the vicissitudes of time -from Channel Row to Clontarf and finally to Cabra from 1819. If only they could speak of the many events of which they were part, and ‘witnessed’ during 300 years!
Aspects of the nuns’ spirituality are reflected in the books listed in the convent library. Titles included (in 1726) were various works of St Teresa [of Avila] and St Francis de Sales, Four Meditation Books, one Martiroligie, one Processionary, [the latter two refer to memorials, ceremonials and chants celebrated in the liturgy. [to be continued in Part 8]
From Sr. Maris Stella McKeown, Archivist, Mission Area of Ireland
For more details, see this website link WHO WE ARE, with Drop down menu –HISTORY and BOOKS.
The drop down menu in WHAT WE DO provides insights into how and where the seed, planted in Dublin in 1717, has grown and sprouted other branches in the following three centuries.