‘Can anyone name any other Newry person who has a Statue outside any State Capitol in the entire world?’ – Sr. Perpetua McArdle

The Monument in honour of Mother Baptist and the Sisters of Mercy at the entrance of the State Capitol Building, Sacramento 

On the 28th February, 2014 the Co Down city of Newry confirmed its ‘Greatest Historical Icon’.  The Russell Sisters from Newry and Killowen received top honours at a function in the Town Hall.  This was a Charity event involving local historians.  All recognised amateur historians in the area were asked to nominate and champion a character with the proviso that the nominee was deceased.

There were Three Criteria to be addressed:

What Newry citizen (deceased) did most for –
Social welfare of Newry or elsewhere
Economic welfare of Newry or elsewhere
Brought most fame to Newry

The main purpose of the evening was to raise money for Concern Worldwide to aid Syrian Refugees who have been displaced due to the current conflict in their country.

The full programme of subjects and speakers was:
Fionn Mac Gorman and the Abbots of Newry, Agrarian Reformers and Commercial Innovators, championed by Dr. Mary Goss
·Richard Castles and Co, builders of the Newry Inland Canal, championed by Paul Hoban
·Francis Carvill, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist championed by Michael McKeown
·John Mitchel and John Martin, Writers and Politicians championed by Francis Gallagher
·John Grubb Richardson, Industrialist and Social Engineer championed by Ross Chapman
·The Three Russell Sisters, Social Reformers championed by Sr. Perpetua McArdle
·Sean Holywood Civil Rights Leader, Actor, Sportsman championed by Donal O’Hanlon

There were seven speakers each limited to a twelve minute PowerPoint presentation.  Each member of the audience was given an electronic voting pad – the first time this technology was used in Newry.  They had to register their vote after each presentation, so there was no going back on their decision in the light of what others said, ‘It was a very strong team; each did an excellent presentation and deserves credit for all the research and effort they put into it.’

“I was both surprised and delighted that the Russell Sisters won.” said Sr. Perpetua.

The Three Russell Sisters

‘They were Trojan women but very few people in Newry even knew they existed.  Many know about their brother Charles who became the first Catholic Lord Chief Justice of England since the Reformation’ declared Sr. Perpetua.

Ready to Vote: Srs. Frances Connolly, Catherine Murray & Bronagh McKeown who attended the event

The public of Newry gave 17.5 percent of the vote to the Russell Sisters.  It is interesting to note that Sr. Perpetua in her presentation stated; ‘I speak for great women in the Russell Sisters.  These three girls became Sisters of Mercy.  They were Elizabeth (Mother Aquin), Sarah (Mother Emmanuel), and Katherine (Mother Baptist) from Newry having lived for a while in Killowen Co Down 1838 – 1845.

Mother Aquin was actually one of the founder members of the Convent of Mercy in Newry in 1855 where she was joined by her sister, Mother Emmanuel.  Mother Baptist entered in Kinsale in Co Cork and went from there to California.  She was sent out to the ‘Gold Rush’ in 1854.  Over the following forty-three years she established schools, hospitals and refuges for women all over Northern California.

It is she who has a place of honour in bronze at the entrance to the State Capitol in Sacramento California.  While she never returned to Ireland her Sisters Elizabeth and Sarah known as Mother Aquin and Mother Emmanuel were instrumental in setting up schools in Newry, Rostrevor, Warrenpoint and Bessbrook in Co Down also Lurgan, Co Armagh.  They also opened laundries, orphanages, and a House of Mercy in Newry for destitute women.

The three Sisters spent the next forty years of their lives improving the social and economic conditions of the people in the Newry area and in California by helping the needy in all its many forms.  Arriving in Newry the Sisters set to work to alleviate the grim legacy of the Famine – hunger, disease and destitution.  Then by education and practical training to enable people to help themselves.

The Aposolate which the two Russell Sisters began has been continued by over 360 others who, inspired by their contribution to the good of society, followed in their footsteps as Sisters of Mercy

The third Sister, Mother Baptist went to San Francisco California in 1847.  With the discovery of Gold six years previously hordes of fortune seekers from all over the world had flocked there.  Services of all kinds were either totally inadequate or completely lacking: hospitals, schools, sanitary facilities, transport.  For the outstanding work of the Sisters of Mercy the City Authorities offered all Religious Sisters free transport in San Francisco in perpetuity, a privilege honoured to this day.

St. Mary’s Hospital: The First Catholic Hospital on the West Coast

*Click here to view the Presentation given by Sr. Perpetua who incidentally has been described as a Modern Icon of Mercy in Newry.*

These three women built bridges of opportunity for the needy by bringing health to the sick, sustenance to the poor, hope to the despairing, and education to the deprived.  Their contribution both locally and abroad to the social and economic welfare of society was enormous.  They did Newry proud!

Speaking after the event Sr. Perpetua said “There were no winners and no runners-up, there were seven wonderful stories.”

A local newsagent said ‘The large crowd was entertained and educated and delighted.  The whole event was a credit to the organisers and it was great to see that it was all done for the benefit of the Syrian Refugees £4,500 was raised for CONCERN Worldwide to assist the plight of the Syrian Refugees at this most significant event in Newry City and the Mercy Story.’

£4,500 was raised for CONCERN Worldwide

Veronica O’Brien rsm
Northern Province