placenamesTallow
Tulach an Iarainn
The community’s own history connects its arrival in 1836 with education, and a later livelihood with the printing press.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- Tulach an Iarainn · Irish · main form · validated name
- Tallow · English · main form
Place & story
A bequest for girls’ education
The Carmelite community at Tallow traces its foundation to a bequest from parish priest Denis O’Donnell for a convent and girls’ school. His successor, Eugene Condon, bought two acres beside the Bride from the Duke of Devonshire and supervised construction. The foundation linked a contemplative religious community with a practical local need for education. [2]
Travelling from Dublin
Five sisters travelled from Warrenmount in Dublin under Mother Joseph Finn in July 1836. Their account records a Bianconi coach journey, an overnight stop in Carlow and two nights with the Ursulines in Waterford. They reached Tallow on 29 July; the convent was blessed the next morning. [2]
A letterpress in 1970
The sisters’ account of their work dates the printing enterprise to a small letterpress received as a gift in 1970. Memorial and acknowledgement cards became a particular speciality, alongside other stationery. The workshop later adopted newer technology while retaining its character as an enterprise run by the community. [3]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Tallow. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Our Unique History: Saint Joseph’s Carmelite Monastery · Saint Joseph’s Carmelite Monastery, Tallow
- Work: the monastery printing enterprise · Saint Joseph’s Carmelite Monastery, Tallow
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2025-01-10. How this page was prepared.