When Sr. Angela McMahon retired from Holy Family School on August 31st it marked the end of an era. She was the last Sister of Mercy on the staff and in celebrating her retirement the school community was also celebrating the contribution the Sisters of Mercy made to education in Ennis during the past 150 years.

In The Sisters of Mercy of Ennis Sister Pius O’Brien documents the history of Mercy Education saying that during a Mission in Ennis in November 1853, a meeting of the parishioners was held and a resolution was passed that it was essential to the promotion of Religious Education in the town that a convent of the Sisters of Mercy be established.  Dean John Kenny invited the Sisters from Limerick and in May 1854 five Sisters of Mercy arrived in Ennis and settled in Row House off Arthur’s Row.

They started immediately on their ministry of education.  In the first years they taught in Lifford, Harmony Row and the Masonic Lodge off Quinn’s Bow.  By 1856 there were 547 girls on roll taught by five Sisters and one monitress.  These facilities were now inadequate so a new school was built (now the Clare Museum) in the grounds of the Convent and in 1865 the girls transferred there. In the ensuing years further classrooms were added, boys were accepted into the junior classes and the school was divided into senior and junior schools.

Holy Family Junior School

By the 1950’s the buildings were old and inadequate and the Department of Education ordered that the Sisters take steps to acquire a site for a new school.  A five acre field on Station Road was bought and the Superior, Sr. Lelia McKenna had plans drawn up for a school that would cater for the needs of the children of Ennis — bright, airy large classrooms facing south, a hall and cafeteria. She ran into difficulties with the Department of Education, who refused to sanction the plans but finally succeeded in getting them accepted.

Holy Family Senior School

Patrick Cullen was appointed builder and on 24th September, 1961, the first sod was turned. The preparation of the site proved long and expensive and the classrooms were not ready for occupation until 1965.

Plaque to Sr. Lelia McKenna

On 7th January, 1965, the staff and pupils moved to their new school, named Holy Family School, Senior and Junior. The Irish Examiner described it as “the school they will be copying in 20 years time”  At  that time the staff consisted mainly of Mercy Sisters.

Sr. Dominic Lernihan who managed transition in Holy Family School

Major changes in education have taken place since 1965. Holy Family School has embraced them and adapted to facilitate them.   Co-Education was introduced in 1992 and the inclusion of Special Needs Children also necessitated reconfiguration of accommodation.  Special Classes for Deaf Children and Children with Speech and Language Disorder were also put in place in answer to emerging needs.

With the passage of time the school needed major refurbishment and in 2004 the upgrading was completed at the cost of €4.6m. Every effort was made to keep the original look of the school while providing the most modern facilities.  Ennis native, Paddy Coleman was project manager and Brian McCarthy, another Ennis man was contractor.

Srs. Betty O’Riordan, Angela McMahon, Maura Flanagan and Patricia O’Meara the last Mercy Sisters to hold teaching posts in Holy Family School

To honour the Sisters for their dedication and commitment to education, a special mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated in the Cathedral on Thursday, September 23rd, 2010. Joining the newly ordained bishop, Bishop Kieran O’Reilly was the recently retired bishop, Bishop Willie Walsh, together with the priests of the parish and priests who are past pupils of the school. In his homily, Bishop O’Reilly paid tribute to the Sisters and thanked them for their enormous legacy to the parish of Ennis.

The singing and music was provided by the staff and pupils. Among the gifts presented at the altar was the first Roll Book of 1854 and a picture of Sr. Lelia McKenna.

Refreshments were served in the School Hall where old photographs and scrapbooks were on display. Past pupils and past teachers mingled and shared stories.

Sr. Angela McMahon who retired at the end of August was the last Sister of Mercy to hold a teaching post in Holy Family School

When the time came to say goodbye it was with a sense of joy and gratitude and a knowing that what was begun in 1854 will continue into the future in the capable hands of the present committed staff of Holy Family School, many of whom are past pupils.

Betty O’Riordan rsm
South Central Province