In Tallaght, Dublin 1984 – 2013

In the Autumn of 1984 Mary Connaughton and I, Rosaleen Hogan came to live in a newly built housing estate in Brookfield, Tallaght.  We would be teaching the local students in a new Community School called St. Aiden’s. Down the years Dublin Corporation built houses for the less well off people in society and allowed the people to pay a rent which eventually gave them the right to own their home. As Sisters of Mercy we applied for a house so that we could live among the people of the new estate and be there for them in the good and difficult times. We were given a rented house.

Therese Brophy one of our nurses joined our community a few months later.  Many of those who were given a house were young and were trying to rear their children without a parent nearby and for some without a partner. The nearest hospital was St. James far away. It took some time before a bus route was established. Therese Brophy with her nursing background was invaluable in emergencies like in situations where there were accidents and sickness. The young mothers often panicked when a child was sick. It was a great help to them to have a Sister of Mercy Nurse living among them.  Our sitting room often became the nearest A&E!

When we arrived into our house on that day in 1984 the builders had left the estate.  The gardens were newly spread with random grass seed. Each garden was separated by a single thin line of wire. This enabled the local dogs to bark their excitement as they raced to and fro into all the gardens along the way. Many of the neighbors shouted abuse at the four-legged tenants to no avail.

For some time, nobody had curtains. Blankets on the windows gave the privacy that was needed.  It was wonderful to watch the ingenuity of these families when problems arose. For many months the roads were rough and not tarred. It took the best part of a year before the children on their way to school  cried out  with joy to each other “ Tar is coming! The tar is coming”! The roads  were covered with fresh tar. The parents knew then that the children could play safely on the road and near the houses.

Mary Connaughton and I taught the young Post Primary students for the Leaving Certificate exams.  The beginning was difficult. The families had come from many parts of the inner Dublin city and the north side of the city. They did not know each other and they misunderstood each other quite often in the early months. Gradually they grew to develop friendships. Laughter was often heard coming from the classroom and we knew they were settling into the school and the area at last.  Because Mary and Therese and I lived in the same area and same type of house as the people they allowed us to belong.

There were many ways through which we were a light presence among the children and the families.  Our door was open when troubles became too much to bear. We often sheltered neighbors in great distress because of abuse. We helped to keep the family safe.

Sr. Albertus McHugh returned from Kenya and join in our community. She began to work with the men in the area to give them a platform to share their difficulties together and to help each other.  I retired from teaching and began to help and teach the local women in our sitting room. My aim was to help them to believe in themselves and their abilities. A number of the mothers sat for their Leaving Certificate and this gave them great confidence. For too long many of the women thought very little of themselves.

I also worked with the travelling people in the parish. As well as teaching I had trained as a Counselor and this training was very helpful in my dealings with the travelling women. Mary was also involved with travelling people when she retired from teaching. It was our aim to nurture self worth in the hearts of these wonderful women.

Then came the immigrants from Africa, Rumania and India to live among us.  They came looking for help in learning the English language. Being an English Teacher I was able to set up classes and to help them in their difficulties with English. It was interesting for them to share with one another their own customs and for me to share our Irish customs with them. Many of them got employment in the area and were regarded as very good employees.

It took some time before drugs came into the neighborhood and destroyed the lives of some of the families. It was hard for neighbor to trust neighbor anymore.  Many were in denial, denial of the darkness that had come into their lives and had broken the bonds of friendship they once had. Parents were very concerned for their families’ welfare.

Some of our past students died at the hands of neighbors and some took their own lives.  Young children called “runners” delivered at the doors the drugs that people craved for.  Some past pupils were murdered for drug money.  A Mother stood at her son’s coffin and said to me “I know my son did terrible things.  But I still loved him.” I could feel the presence of the loving God in that woman.

And God said: Let there be light. And yes there was light.  The women brought the light.  They had lived through the hardship and the darkness and were determined to build up the area and the parish.  They helped each other to develop the Christian community.  They supported the priest and were involved in the Church services and rituals.

By this time Mary Connaughton was diagnosed with cancer. We prayed together for wisdom and decided it was time for us to go.  We Mercies had been there for about thirty years and loved the people and were loved in return. On the night before we left Mary and I went out to our gate with blessed water and a gong. I hit the gong and two boys of about seven years came over to our gate asking what we were doing. We told them the gong was singing a prayer to God to bless everyone in Brookfield.

They said ‘Do that again.’  I hit the gong again. The little boy said Lord have Mercy on us. We answered Christ have Mercy on us. And he said Lord have Mercy on us.   And they walked on.  We looked at each other and said “We can go now.”

The following morning of April 2013, Mary and I gave a final blessing to the house, to the people in Brookfield, to all of nature that surrounded us with beauty and to the area itself. We handed the keys to the man from the County Council.  We stepped into the car and headed towards our future community in the Cedars Convent, Dun Laoghaire.  Mary Connaughton rsm went to God on 7th February, 2014. R.I.P.

Rosaleen Hogan rsm
South Central Province