St. Dominic

History

Since the penal era the Dominican friars of the Irish province had been trained abroad, at centres such as Corpo Santo in Lisbon, which the province founded in 1615. A portion of the Lisbon college was sold in 1856 to fund the purchase of the priory at Tallaght.

The first friars lived in what was known as Major Palmer's house, which later became St Joseph's retreat house. Their choir was on the ground floor of the old medieval tower, and their winter choir above it. The Provincial, Fr Goodman, laid the foundation stone of the new priory in May 1864. Cardinal Cullen laid the foundation stone of the new church in October 1882, and it was dedicated by Archbishop Walsh in 1886 as a memorial to Fr Thomas Burke, who had died three years earlier.