The McDermott Hotel where the first school was opened.
Louisburgh, County Mayo witnessed a wonderful day recently to mark one hundred years of Mercy presence since 1919 in the beautiful seaside town. The gift of education the Sisters brought were to have unprecedented results, way beyond what had been foreseen. The Secondary School was actually the very first co-educational establishment in Ireland. It was to flourish and now a major school extension to Sancta Maria has been opened, including new specialist classrooms to cater for the new Junior Cert. curriculum, with sport, drama and music being given spacious new facilities. The Mercy legacy takes a new shape.
Sr. Mary Lyons, Ms Patricia Joyce, Sr Kathleen Friel, Ms Mairéad Colleran, Sr. Marie King, Sr. Ann Feighney, Sr. Mary Corr, Sr Eileen O Dea, Sr Ann Fergus and Sr. Úna Purcell. Pic: Michael Mc Laughlin
The celebratory proceedings were graced by the unplanned, dramatic memories of the oldest past pupil, who had chanced to hear of the event. When Nora Uí Eachain (née Duggan) had begun primary school, the first Mercy Sisters had already started Sancta Maria Secondary School. The two incumbent teachers in the parish primary school came to retirement age and Sisters Cortona and Laurence moved to fill the vacant positions there. Nora could now continue her lifelong love of education. She 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.
Former Sancta Maria College pupil, Nora Duggan (99) recounted vivid memories during her address to the celebrations.
Nora finished her secondary education as a boarder in Tuam and got a B.A. degree in UCG. She later found a job in Askeaton in West Limerick, managing and running a non-religious school, where, as in Louisburgh, students would not have otherwise received second level education. One of her past students there was Dr Pat Wallace. He declares appreciatively of Nora, “she was my teacher!” He went on to become the Director of the National Museum of Ireland. 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 Sancta Maria School abundantly,
and each person who will ever be part of it.
Compiled by Suzanne Ryder rsm
Photographs of Sisters and Nora Hawkes by Michael Mc Laughlin
With sincere thanks to the Mayo News and to Nora Uí Eachain (née Duggan)
