Portglenone Abbey facts for kids
Our Lady of Bethlehem Abbey, also known as Portglenone Abbey, is a special place where Cistercian monks live and pray. It's a type of monastery located in Portglenone, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. This abbey was started in 1948 by a group of Cistercian monks from Mount Melleray Abbey in County Waterford.
The monks bought a large country house called Portglenone House. This house was built around 1810 by a bishop named Dr. Alexander. He had actually taken down an old castle to build his house. History books say that a famous person named Sir Roger Casement sometimes stayed at this house in the early 1900s.
Even though some people in the area were not sure about the monastery at first, it successfully became a part of the community. For many years, the monks even ran a dairy farm. Our Lady of Bethlehem Abbey was the first enclosed monastery for men to be built in Northern Ireland since the time of the Reformation.
What is a Trappist Monastery?
The monks at Portglenone Abbey belong to a group called the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. They are also known as Trappists. Trappists follow a very old set of rules called the Rule of St Benedict. They focus on some of the stricter parts of these rules.
This means they live a simple life with strict silence, do not eat meat, wake up very early, and do a lot of physical work. Their lives are dedicated to prayer and work.
Building the Abbey
In 1962, the monks started building a new monastery. It was designed in a modern style by an architect named Padraig Ó Muireadhaigh. The building was finished in 1971 and has even won several awards for its design!
To connect the new building with the long history of their order, the monks used stones from some of the very old Irish Cistercian abbeys. These old stones were placed in the church and the cloisters (covered walkways) of the new monastery. This helps show the link between the past and present of the Cistercian order in Ireland.
Leaders of the Abbey
The leaders of the abbey are called Abbots. Here are some of the Abbots who have guided the community at Portglenone Abbey:
- 1948–1953 – Abbot Oliver Farrell
- 1958–1977 – Abbot Aengus Dunphy (1921–2014); after his time at Portglenone, he served as a chaplain in Uganda from 1979 to 1991.
- 1977–2024 – Abbot Celsus Kelly
- 2024 – Aelred Magee (who is currently serving as the Superior ad Nutum, meaning he is the temporary leader)
