Louisburgh, Co Mayo witnessed a wonderful day to mark one hundred years of Mercy presence since 1919 in the beautiful seaside town recently. The Secondary School was actually the very first co-educational establishment in Ireland, an extraordinary achievement. The day itself marked the opening of a major school extension to Sancta Maria, including new specialist classrooms to cater for the new Junior Certificate curriculum, with sport, drama and music being given spacious new facilities. The Mercy legacy takes a new shape. Minister Ring, who opened the new extension, paid tribute to the Mercy Sisters and the role they played in providing education to the area. “Sometimes it is easy to give out and be critical but today I would like to say to the women and men who have served the Church for many years, thank you for what you have done for education.”
Sancta Maria Student
Father Kieron Waldron, diocesan historian, told how it took the first two Sisters, two days to travel the distance of 50 miles from Tuam to Louisburgh. They were soon joined by two more Sisters and started teaching sewing in what was then McDermott’s hotel. A former Principal, Sister Ann Feighney, one of the many Sisters who attended, noted that they sowed the seeds of what was now being celebrated.
Nora (Duggan) Hawkes
The proceedings were graced by the dramatic memories of the oldest past pupil, who graced the event. When Nora (Duggan) Hawkes began primary school, Sancta Maria Secondary School had already been opened. The two incumbent teachers in the parish primary school had come to retirement age and Sisters Cortona and Laurence moved to fill the vacant positions. Nora was serendipitously placed to give vivid details of the history of the school, as her recollections added much theatre and historical accuracy to the day of celebration:
McDermott’s Hotel
“The convent wasn’t built when the nuns first came, in 1919, so they stayed at McDermott’s hotel, for a number of years. Not only did the nuns teach us the ordinary subjects, but also, we had a beautiful choir directed by Mother Michael, who was renowned for her musical ability. Our choir sang in the church for mass and benediction, every Sunday.”
Nora’s story included the innovative methods used by Sister Laurence who, “taught us our history through the medium of poetry e.g. ‘The March to Kinsale’, ‘O’ Rourke’s Request’, “The Brothers John and Henry Shears” etc. all of which I can still recite verbatim 90+ years later.”
Nora Duggan at her graduation
In its early days, Sancta Maria only taught up to Intermediate Certificate and Nora finished her secondary education in Tuam. She later got a B.A. degree in UCG. She went on to teach in Askeaton in West Limerick, managing and running a non-religious school. This school began in a local library where, as in Louisburgh, students would not have otherwise received second level education. On retirement from Askeaton, Nora fulfilled another ambition by going to Lesotho to teach there for four years.
Nora finished an account for a Louisburgh publication with a blessing that I borrow to finish this good news story of a Mercy foundation that has grown to have a global outreach:
Beannacht Dé agus na Maighdine Muire ar Scoil Sancta Maria,
agus ar gach duine a bheith pairteach ann go bruinne an bhrátha.
May God and Our Lady bless in abundance Sancta Maria School,
and each person who will ever be part of it.
A group of past Sisters and teachers of Sancta Maria
Sr. Mary Lyons, Mrs Patricia Joyce, Sr. Kathleen Friel, Mrs Mairead Colleran, Sr. Marie King, Sr. Ann Feighney, Sr. Mary Corr, Sr. Eileen O’Dea, Sr. Ann Fergus and Sr. Una Purcell (Picture by Michael McLaughlin)
Suzanne Ryder rsm
Western Province
