Page 41 - The Gonzaga Record 1986
P. 41
It is all a long way from Gonzaga
College. We wish to assure John of our
admiration of his work.
Ciaran Forbes, osB
Ciaran is a monk at Glenstal Abbey,
Murroe, Co. Limerick. Even as a
young boy, he will tell you, he was
fascinated by pictures of monks,
abbeys, the whole monastic scene. A
kind god-mother indulged his interest
by sending him off to the monastery at
Caldey Island during the summer holi-
days. They made him work there
around the farm, as well as taking part
in the daily prayer routine. He did this
for four summers, and still the attrac-
tion was there.
He left Gonzaga in 1960 and worked
in the National Bank for a year. But
his heart was still with the monks, and Ciaran Forbes, oss
he entered Glenstal Abbey in 1962.
After the usual studies he spent Ciaran, Noirin Ni Rian, and the
s9me years teaching in the school at monks of Glenstal have produced one.
Glenstal. It was almost by accident
that he discovered where his true
talents lay. There was a lathe in the
school for turning wood. Ciaran went David Murphy, SJ
to it, messed around a bit, learned to
turn a piece of wood without breaking David was born in 1944 in Dublin, and
the machine, and was hooked for life. spent his school days at Gonzaga Col-
He is now one of the best known lege. On leaving school he entered the
wood-turners in Ireland. He exhibited Jesuit novitiate in 1962. The monastic
the products of his craft on a style of Emo Park in those days re-
European tour, and American tours, quired just the qualities of generosity
and at various exhibitions in Ireland. and inwardness which David abund-
When he had become a master of antly possessed.
his craft he began to teach others. He He was in Rathfarnham Castle from
worked for some years as a teacher of 1964 to 1967 and enjoyed his years at
wood-turning at the Co-op Conne- university. He took his degree in
mara West. He has now returned to English and French. French culture
Glenstal Abbey where he continues his had a special appeal for David, and he
artistic work. Wood-turning is not the spent five of his twenty years as a
only talent Ciaran is blessed with. He Jesuit in France. He went to Chantilly
has a very fine voice. If you are for philosophy. He became interested
looking to enhance some special litur- in Freud, an interest he never lost, and
gical occasional and you want a real was reputed to have managed an inter-
good Responsorial Psalm sung, go view with the reclusive Samuel Beckett
down to Glenstal and capture Ciaran. by the simplest of stratagems - going
And if you want a quite beautiful LP along and knocking on the great man's
record of Irish and Latin chants door. After philosophy he did his
39
College. We wish to assure John of our
admiration of his work.
Ciaran Forbes, osB
Ciaran is a monk at Glenstal Abbey,
Murroe, Co. Limerick. Even as a
young boy, he will tell you, he was
fascinated by pictures of monks,
abbeys, the whole monastic scene. A
kind god-mother indulged his interest
by sending him off to the monastery at
Caldey Island during the summer holi-
days. They made him work there
around the farm, as well as taking part
in the daily prayer routine. He did this
for four summers, and still the attrac-
tion was there.
He left Gonzaga in 1960 and worked
in the National Bank for a year. But
his heart was still with the monks, and Ciaran Forbes, oss
he entered Glenstal Abbey in 1962.
After the usual studies he spent Ciaran, Noirin Ni Rian, and the
s9me years teaching in the school at monks of Glenstal have produced one.
Glenstal. It was almost by accident
that he discovered where his true
talents lay. There was a lathe in the
school for turning wood. Ciaran went David Murphy, SJ
to it, messed around a bit, learned to
turn a piece of wood without breaking David was born in 1944 in Dublin, and
the machine, and was hooked for life. spent his school days at Gonzaga Col-
He is now one of the best known lege. On leaving school he entered the
wood-turners in Ireland. He exhibited Jesuit novitiate in 1962. The monastic
the products of his craft on a style of Emo Park in those days re-
European tour, and American tours, quired just the qualities of generosity
and at various exhibitions in Ireland. and inwardness which David abund-
When he had become a master of antly possessed.
his craft he began to teach others. He He was in Rathfarnham Castle from
worked for some years as a teacher of 1964 to 1967 and enjoyed his years at
wood-turning at the Co-op Conne- university. He took his degree in
mara West. He has now returned to English and French. French culture
Glenstal Abbey where he continues his had a special appeal for David, and he
artistic work. Wood-turning is not the spent five of his twenty years as a
only talent Ciaran is blessed with. He Jesuit in France. He went to Chantilly
has a very fine voice. If you are for philosophy. He became interested
looking to enhance some special litur- in Freud, an interest he never lost, and
gical occasional and you want a real was reputed to have managed an inter-
good Responsorial Psalm sung, go view with the reclusive Samuel Beckett
down to Glenstal and capture Ciaran. by the simplest of stratagems - going
And if you want a quite beautiful LP along and knocking on the great man's
record of Irish and Latin chants door. After philosophy he did his
39
