A Reflection
We rarely question life as it is; we feel it has always been thus, but did you know that in 1800 there were only eleven convents of female religious in Ireland, a total of 120 Sisters? The number expanded dramatically during the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century so that in 1975 there were 882 convents. The Sisters of Mercy who came into being on 12th December, 1831 were part of this development, an amazing story of branching out, first across Ireland and England, then spreading throughout the world so that fifteen years after Catherine McAuley’s death in 1841, the order had 3,000 Sisters with requests worldwide for foundations. Since 1831 when Catherine made her Profession, 55,000 Sisters have made Profession in 47 countries. New Inn convent which opened on 1st May, 1879 and closed on 28th November, 2012 was part of the movement in which this growth occurred. The convent was set in the rich and fertile Golden Vale, near Cashel, Co Tipperary, a part of Munster that has been described as a haven of tranquility. But the peace and prosperity of this beautiful rural place in the twenty first century belies the poverty and devastation which prevailed when the Mercy Sisters first came to the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly in 1863.
Convent of Mercy, New Inn
Nineteenth century Ireland experienced immense social, educational, political and religious change. By 1900 there were 14,000 priests, monks and nuns, 1 for every 235 people.
The contribution of newly founded religious orders in the amelioration of the poverty and deprivation of the poor was recognized by the Synod of Thurles 1850 particularly in the areas of Catholic education and nursing care and the parish priests were encouraged to invite them.
In 1877, the Mercy Sisters, Charleville, Co Cork responded positively to the invitation of Canon John Ryan, Parish Priest of New Inn 1855 – 1891 to establish a foundation. In preparation the parish provided a twenty three acre farm and convent.
On 1st May, 1879 five Sisters came and were met in Cahir by Canon Ryan’s jaunting car. The Sisters were Mother Joseph Croke, Sr. Regis Fitzgerald, Sr. Clare Bohan, Sr. Ignatius Ryan, Sr. Agnes Maher and Sr. Frances Hayes.
For the year 1879 Dr. Thomas Croke, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, who was a native of Kilbrin, Mallow, diocese of Cloyne, listed in his notebook the convents he had visited, and in what looks like a late entry he wrote, ‘N.B. Opened new Convent of Sacred Heart at New Inn, preached on the occasion.’ For him the new convent was special since it was founded by the Charleville community of which Mother Joseph Croke, his sister, was a member; she was the ‘Issy’ (Isabella – his mother’s name also) and the ‘Abbess’ of his affectionate letters. The Charleville annals mention the day of the opening. ‘During the day the pleasure of the rural population in seeing and exploring every corner of the … little convent was most amusing. After a short time the Sisters were enabled to get the schools under their entire charge and almost immediately after taking up the National School they opened a pension school . . . Both have succeeded most satisfactorily.’
In the Mercy Heritage Centre in Charleville there are two letters from Canon Ryan. In one, 23rd August, 1880, he says that he has the greatest respect for the Sisters and thanks them for ‘all the good they have done for his young parishioners.’ In the second letter he is cross as he didn’t approve of the Sisters starting a pension school so soon, nor did he approve of them going back to Charleville so often! New Inn convent became independent of Charleville on 8th September, 1881 and in 1920 Drangan Convent was placed under its jurisdiction.
The journey of the Sisters in New Inn continued. At that time, the third quarter of the nineteenth century, the New Inn annalist, Sr. Gabriel O’Callaghan, writes about fenianism, landlordism, rackrents, evictions, survival from the Famine, reprisals and counter reprisals which ensured that the people were as wretched as could be imagined. The presence of the Sisters in New Inn transformed education. Some Parlour Boarders were taken into part of the convent in the early 1900s. These were pious ladies who were paying guests.
In 1964 a boarding school was opened in New Inn and in that same year four Sisters opened a convent and school in St. Patrick’s Parish, Jacksonville, Florida. Canon Ryan could not have foreseen that there would one day be a daughter house of his convent in distant Florida.
In 1987 a unit for sick and elderly Sisters opened in the convent and over the years many, many Sisters enjoyed its facilities.
A Centre for Counselling and Human Development started in 1990.
Sr. Nellie Ryan, Fr. Kennedy, Sr. Peggy Collins, Archbiship Dermot Clifford, Srs. Rena Ryan, Fidelma Dixon, Assumpta Dunne, Patricia O’Meara (Provincial Leadership Team) and Archdeacon Mattie McGrath
So we come to the evening of 29th November, 2012, when gratitude and appreciation were expressed at a Eucharistic celebration by the people of New Inn Parish to the Sisters for their presence down the years. Srs. Nellie Ryan, Assumpta Dunne, Fidelma Dixon and Rena Ryan had just left the convent for the final time after a link of 133 years. Dr. Dermot Clifford concelebrated at the Mass of Thanksgiving with P.P. Michael Kennedy, former priests of the parish and Rockwell priests all of whom had very close links with the Sisters. Many Sisters of Mercy, friends, colleagues and past students also were present for the celebration and farewell. When Mass was finished everybody went to the parish hall for tea and chat, reminiscence and speeches. Gifts were presented to the Sisters and everybody who worked so hard to organize the evening was thanked. The evening was tinged with sadness as the Sisters will be sorely missed.
We wish the parishioners of New Inn and the Sisters who have lived and worked there abundant blessings.
Mary Coyle rsm
South Central Province
