There was a large attendance at the Mercy Sisters Farewell Mass in St. Clare’s Church on Saturday morning and afterwards in the Bee Park Community Centre where the Sisters valuable contributions to many aspects life in Manorhamilton over several generations was marked by a number of presentations and other tributes.
Monsignor Liam Kelly, the Kilmore Diocesan Administrator who was assisted by a number of priests, presided over the Sisters Farewell Mass in St. Clare’s Church. The Mercy Sisters had worked in Our Lady’s Hospital for many decades prior to their retirement a number of years ago as nurses.
Gerard Gilgunn and Margaret McDermott made presentations on behalf of the Cloonclare-Killasnett Parish to the Mercy Sisters at their Farewell function in the Bee Park Community Centre.
Prior to that Paddy Croal, who was representing the Cloonclare-Killasnett Pastoral Council, welcomed the three Sisters – Sr. Jacinta Marron, Sr. Catherine McMorrow and Sr. Dolores Kilbane – and the large attendance to the Farewell function.
Maureen Keaney gave a very interesting talk at the Farewell function on the coming of the Mercy Sisters to Manorhamilton over 130 years ago in 1890 and on their work as nurses in Our Lady’s Hospital and originally in Manorhamilton Fever Hospital Infirmary.
Prior to their retirement a few years ago the Sisters of Mercy worked in Our Lady’s Hospital in the noble and caring profession of nursing.
When Sr. Jacinta Marron, Sr. Catherine McMorrow and Sr. Dolores Kilbane retired from Our Lady’s Hospital they moved to a new Order residence at 2 Castle View, Manorhamilton.
Prior to Christmas the popular and well regarded Manorhamilton Sisters of Mercy moved to live in the Ballyshannon Sisters of Mercy Convent. This move ended their Order’s Manorhamilton presence, which began in the final decade of the 19th century.
Sister Mary from Ballyshannon Sisters of Mercy Convent also spoke at Saturday’s Farewell function for the Manorhamilton nuns in the Bee Park Community Centre.
This article was first published in the Leitrim Observer
