Cloistered nuns mingled with the local community for the first time at the inauguration of a new Carmelite monastery in Delgany, Co Wicklow, at the weekend.
More than 200 guests attended Saturday's blessing, at which Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin officiated.
In a departure from their hermitic way of life, the nuns conversed openly with parishioners over refreshments and collaborated with local musicians during the Mass.
Prioress Sister Monica Lawless said the event was an opportunity to thank the community for their "huge support" throughout the building process.
Construction of the new monastery began in 2003. The old building, which dated to 1844, had become increasingly impractical for its inhabitants.
Derek Kilfeather, the project's architect, said the nuns had embarked on a "voyage of discovery" during the creation of the new monastery, learning about tools, plumbing and drainage.
Daily life in Ireland's 11 remaining Carmelite communities revolves around solitary, silent prayer. While members do leave the monastery grounds to vote and receive medical treatment, contact with the outside world is kept to a minimum.
Despite this strict lifestyle, the Delgany monastery has become more accessible to local people in recent years. Parishioner Eugene McKiernan said the monastery was regarded as a "no go area" when he first came to the village almost a decade ago. "Now, the nuns have become better known to the community than ever before."
Sister Monica welcomed the strengthening relationship with the parish. "As times change, life dictates a certain kind of openness," she said.