The Margaret Aylward Centre for Faith and Dialogue hosts meetings, training days, discussion groups and retreat weekends for up to 60 people in Glasnevin, Dublin 11. The centre is a modern building inaugurated in February 2014, set in the grounds of the Holy Faith Sisters. Organizers can book the main Events Room, a presentation area, a reflective room upstairs and two small meeting rooms.
Seminars and company events
The Events Room is the main conference area. Closed up, it is a bright square room that seats 40 theatre style, with a built-in projector and sound system. One wall opens to extend the room to 60 people. It has a ramp and a patio that gives onto the lawn, so a break can move outside. The centre says the room often hosts training classes, discussion groups, school retreats, board meetings and retreat weekends.
For smaller formats, two meeting rooms are available. Meeting Room 1 suits small planning or development groups, committee meetings and interviews. Meeting Room 2 is a well-lit room for 6 to 8 people, with glass on two sides and mature trees outside. A larger group can split into these rooms for workshops and come back together in the Events Room.
Rooms and capacities
The Events Room holds 40 theatre style, or up to 60 with the wall opened. The Theatre Space is the central area of the ground floor, with round tables and chairs for presentations, break-out groups and refreshments. Its panels can be closed to make a quieter room for films or online presentations. Upstairs, the Sacred Space is an oval room with views across Glasnevin and Dublin. It holds up to 20 people comfortably and has a projector on request. The centre uses it for yoga, Pilates, reflection evenings, planning meetings and training courses.
The centre is wheelchair accessible throughout. A hearing loop is installed on both floors, and Wi-Fi covers the whole building.
Catering
The centre does not run an in-house kitchen. It offers tea, coffee and biscuits, which you book in advance. Some groups bring in an outside caterer for lunch, and others ask participants to bring their own. The team says it will work out the arrangement with each group at the time of booking.
History and setting
The centre is named after Margaret Aylward, founder of the Holy Faith Sisters, and sits in the sisters' grounds. The site has a long record as a place of prayer, from St. Mobhi in the sixth century to the present congregation. The grounds include a biodiversity garden, and guides to the history, the plants and a reflective walk can be downloaded from the official website. The grounds are private. Groups are asked to call ahead, to sign in and out on arrival and departure, and to leave dogs at home.
The setting suits events that call for quiet: board away days, strategy sessions, training for community and faith organizations, and reflective retreats. People of any belief or none use the centre, according to the official site.
Getting there
The centre is at the Convent of the Holy Faith, Old Finglas Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 11. Free parking is next to the building, with a drop-off zone at the door. For rates, availability and a visit, contact the director by email through the official website.
