Our Trip Down Memory Lane this month brings us to Dungarvan, Co Waterford in the Southern Province. This article was first published in Mercy Live Newspaper in June 2004. In January 1999, Sisters moved into a newly built convent in Church Street, Dungarvan where the author of this article, Sr. Assumpta Byrne still resides. The old convent was sold to Glanbia in 1997, and resold to a Developer who demolished it and built 8 three storey houses on the site. The community participated in and shared in the celebrations of the 150th Anniversary on the 21st November, 2004. Mass was celebrated in St. Mary’s Parish Church by Dr. William Lee and was followed by tea and finger food in the Park Hotel where a large crowd of families and friends gathered.
A Child’s Dream Becomes A Reality
The story of the Mercy Foundation in Dungarvan in 1854 is, I believe, unique in the annals of the Sisters of Mercy. Dungarvan, like everywhere else in Ireland, was suffering the effects of the potato blight. Poverty and destitution abounded and cholera was rampant.
A middle-aged benevolent couple resided in Dungarvan at that time. They were Andrew and Jane Carbery. Andrew was a wealthy corn merchant. Unlike many others of his time, he supplied the poor of Dungarvan with grain when the potato blight was widespread.
Andrew and Jane had two daughters, Elizabeth Oldin Carbery who was born on March 3rd, 1844 and Margaret who was born on November 18th, 1845. Margaret died at 16 months old. Elizabeth became very ill in 1853. When very near to death she told her mother to be sure to bring the Sisters of Mercy to Dungarvan. She had a vision, in which she saw the Sisters and told her mother that if she lived, she would become a Sister herself. The child told of the work of the Sisters for the poor and many other beautiful things, even though she had never seen a Sister of Mercy. She died on January 19th, 1853.
Andrew and Jane kept the dream of their daughter alive. They went to Cappoquin by appointment, driving in a carriage and four, as was the custom then. Jane Carbery was wont to say that in spite of fate, she would have Sisters brought to Dungarvan. If the Parish Priest refused, she would apply to the Bishop. If the Bishop refused she would go to the Pope, but come they would.
Convent of Mercy, Dungarvan, Co Waterford
Sr. Vincent Fannin set out from Cappoquin for Dungarvan on November 21st, 1854. Sr. Aloysius O’Connor, Sr. Josephine Purcell and Sr. Gertrude Holohan accompanied her. The Carberys had made a previous arrangement with the Bishop- to provide a house in South Terrace, rent free. This was to be a temporary arrangement until more permanent accommodation could be provided. This eventually materialised in Church Street in 1858, but not without much difficulty. The commitment of the Carberys overcame all obstacles, but it would need a full book to tell the whole story.
The little community grew and prospered and even spread its wings to Australia in 1888 and Nigeria in 1969.
Convent of Mercy, Dungarvan with a ‘For Sale’ sign
The Sisters of Mercy in Dungarvan will celebrate their 150th Anniversary in November 2004, thanks to the dream of a little girl.
Assumpta Byrne lives in Cahir, Co Tipperary
Assumpta Byrne rsm
Southern Province
