The Jesuits bought Tullabeg in 1818 (dedicated it to St Stanislaus) and opened a preparatory school for boys destined to go to Clongowes Wood College, Kildare. St Stanislaus College gradually developed as an educational rival to its sister school. It merged with Clongowes Wood College in 1886. Tullabeg then became a house of Jesuit formation: novitiate (1888-1930), juniorate (1895-1911), tertianship (1911-1927) and philosophate (1930-1962). In 1962, it was decided that the students of philosophy should be sent abroad for study. Tullabeg subsequently became a retreat house and was closed in May 1991.

The papers of St Stanislaus College include information on a history of the area around Tullabeg, building and property (1912-2004), correspondence with Superiors (1881-1971), finance (1912-1990), documents on Jesuit training (1818-1962), retreat house (1949-1960) and artworks (1940-1991).

Material is in the form of letters, reports, architectural plans, notes, maps and photographs (1902-1990). Programmes for plays include Shrovetide at St. Stanislaus College, Tullamore; ‘The Man with the Iron Mask’, ‘All at Coventry’ and ‘The Smoked Miser’ (1885) and for ‘Caitlín Ní Uallacáin’ and ‘Cox and Box’ and details Jesuits who performed (1925).

Reply from one of his cardinals granting a privileged altar to St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, Tullamore, Ireland.

– brief history of ‘The College of St. Stanislaus (formerly “Tullabeg”)’ in an unknown nineteenth century hand (1860s, 4pp) and
– ‘Historia Collegii St.i. Stanislai Tulliolani in Hibernica per annos 1884 –5–6’ by Fr William Joseph Butler SJ (1 May 1886, 9pp).

Material compiled by Fr Roland Burke Savage SJ relating to the origins of Tullabeg as a school for boys and a novitiate. Includes:
– typescript copies of summaries of replies to queries sent by Fr Burke Savage SJ to Fr Joseph Hurley SJ, House Historian, Tullabeg, comments on those replies and comparisons of the early history of the community, as depicted in Fr John Grene’s ‘A Contribution towards a History of The Irish Province of the Society of Jesus’; the Memorials of the Irish Province and Fr William Molony’s ‘Brief Notices’ of 1831
– notes on Frs Robert and John St Leger and on the original builder at Tullabeg (1955, 23pp)
– letter from Fr Burke Savage SJ to Fr Jerome Mahony SJ (19 November 1955, 3pp) on the ‘strong local tradition that we built Tullabeg’, enclosing copies of early letters relevant to the subject (21 April 1815 – 29 April 1817, 7 items, 9pp).

Title deeds and legal documents relating to the foundation of Tullabeg, and the selling of its lands by the Land Commission. Deeds returned to St. Stanislaus College in 1977 by John J. McDonald & Co., Solicitors. Includes schedule of deeds and documents. Item 1 and 12 on the schedule are missing. Deeds arranged in chronological order according to original (not copy) date.

Booklet containing cuttings from the Offaly Independent, mostly recording the history of the house, compiled by Fr Francis Finegan SJ.

Deeds relating to the lands of Ballykeenaghan, barony of Ballycowan, County Offaly. Arranged chronologically.

Legal notes concerning ‘Rahan National School King’s [2nd half of 19th century] County’ with references to pertinent deeds.