The former Cashel and Emly diocesan seminary, St Patrick’s College in Thurles, is to be formally opened as a third level educational institute.President Mary McAleese will perform the official opening today, Thursday 18th October, while Archbishop of Cashel and Emly Dermot Clifford will bless the building.
The president will unveil two commemorative plaques, one marking the new direction of the former seminary and the second acknowledging fifty years of service to St Patrick’s by the Sisters of Mercy.
The college now offers a range of accredited full-time and part-time courses including a BA in Education, Business Studies and Religious Studies, a BA degree in Theology and certificate courses in Philosophy and Pastoral Ministry.
St Patrick’s is to continue to be used as a centre for pastoral and spiritual renewal for the archdiocese and beyond and local organisations and clubs may avail of the premises and facilities.
The college originally opened in 1837 as a second level boarding and day school but over time developed into a major seminary.
The first ordinations took place in the 1870s and some 1500 priests were ordained in the ensuing 130 years.
Since it closed as a seminary in 2002 due to diminishing vocations, St Patrick’s has hosted retreats for schools, religious and lay people and adult education classes.
The campus has also been extensively refurbished to provide better facilities appropriate to a fully-fledged educational institution.
The refurbishments included the provision of new lecture halls, tutorial rooms, a library and a computer room.
The library has some 25,000 volumes, mostly relating to theology, philosophy and religious studies.
While in Thurles, President McAleese will also unveil a plaque in the Presentation primary school to mark its golden jubilee and will plant a tree in the Presentation Secondary School to mark the 190-year presence of the order in the town. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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