Youth Village Esker Youth Village came about as a development of old abandoned farm buildings.  In 1993 there was the beginning of a plan to demolish these buildings because they were such an eye-sore.  Instead, thanks to the vision of some and the very generous work of many others.......... more     A great variety of courses available for very specific groups of people e.g. those preparing for marriage; married couples; Bereavement Support groups etc.  Others are open to everyone........   more       All you wanted to know about the community at Esker   more

TO PURCHASE ANY OF FR PADDY HOWELL'S PAINTINGS PLEASE CONTACT US NOW:

Telephone

Monastery     

+ 353  091 844007    

Outside of Office Hours 

+353 086 8440619

Retreat House +353 091 844549

Fax                + 353 091 845698

email

Monastery     

cssresker@eircom.net

Retreat House

eskerret@indigo.ie

Paddy Howell was born in Limerick on March 15th 1942 - the feast of Redemptorist, St.Clement. He was the youngest of six children, four girls and a boy. Another girl died just two weeks before he was born. Madelene died of the croup, she coughed herself to death in her father's arms. His mother consoled herself with the thought “God took away a girl and he is sending me another." But when a boy arrived she would have nothing to do with him. A local Mercy nun took the newborn baby in her arms and handed him to the mother with the words “Take him, he might be a bishop some day!"

Paddy became an altar boy in the local Redemptorist church. Their life attracted him and he joined and was ordained in 1967. He spent fourteen years travelling every county in Ireland giving retreats to young people as part of a team of priests and laity. After that he studied human and spiritual development in Chicago. On his return home he began working in bogwood as well as giving parish missions and workshops on various aspects of personal development.

Today he teaches bogwood carving in Esker. Recently qualified as a Bob Ross instructor in landscape painting, his paintings can be bought in the monastery office or viewed in his studio.

The great advantage of this painting method is that you don't have to be able to draw or paint. Anyone can do it.

He has developed a new parish mission using light, colour, drama and music. He conducts these missions in the West of Ireland.