Redemptorists announce centenary plans

December 1975

IN the last few weeks of December, 1975 the Redemptorist Fathers announced that they would be celebrating the centenary of their arrival in Dundalk in 1976 and the establishment of the new parish of St. Joseph’s in February, 1976.

The Redemptorists arrived in Dundalk in 1876 and established a Monastery on St Alphonsus Road, then known as Windmill Road. “The Missioners”, as many local people called them, became household names when, in 1892, the beautiful Church of St Joseph was built. Standing proud and beautiful in glinting granite hewn from Newry quarries and with a warm interior resplendent in coloured marbles and intricate mosaics, St Joseph’s Redemptorist Church soon endeared itself to the hearts of all who worshipped there. Over the years it has cultivated the same intimate relationship with successive generations.

Then in the 1970s, with steady industrial development and with significant population growth in Dundalk, the Archdiocese of Armagh decided to create new parishes for the town. One of these was the parish of St Joseph’s, which formally came into being in February 1976.

From their arrival in Dundalk the Redemptorists became famous for the preaching of their great missioners, their numerous devotions, especially to St. Gerard, and the voice of their famous choir.

As part of their centenary celebrations the Redemptorists Fathers also announced in December, 1975 that the original organ which was built by Telford and Telford, Dublin would be revamped. It was originally built under the supervision of Brendan Rogers, the organist in the Pro- Cathedral in Dublin and for many years organist in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dundalk.

The Superior of St. Joseph’s, Very Rev. P. Cunning, C.Ss.R. had given priority to the organ restoration as part of the celebrations and instigated a fund raising drive to meet the cost. The work would be carried out under the supervision of Rev. Patrick Meehan, S.M., St. Mary’s and Brendan McCourt who was the organist in St. Joseph’s.

The year, 1976 would be a special one in the life of the Redemptorist community.

Dundalk Youths team and officials, winners of the Twin Trophy in 1988 during a visit to Reze in France on the occasion of the town twinning with Reze. Back Row (from left) an official from Reze, Paddy Lynch (coach), Pat McElarney, Colin Maguire, Andrew...