Clonmacnoise
Historically, Co Offaly has been famous for two very important seats of learning in the 5th and 6th centuries – Clonmacnoise, founded by St. Ciaran (who had studied under St. Finian at Clonard) and Durrow, founded by St. Colm Cille.
At present, there are Sisters of Mercy living and working in three parishes in Offaly: Tullamore, Kilcormac/Mount Bolus, and Clara.
Tullamore
Saints and Scholars Sculptures, Tullamore Bypass
Pentheny House, original home for the Sisters in Tullamore
Used also as a School – boys downstairs, 2nd and 3rd class girls upstairs
Miss Elizabeth Pentheny, who died in 1835, left her house and whatever property remained for a Convent to be established in the town.
Fr. O’Rafferty, the Parish Priest, applied to the Sisters of Mercy, who had just been founded and who had not yet gone beyond the Archdiocese of Dublin. Mother McAuley, who did not hesitate to accept the prospect of a poor foundation, graciously received him. She was encouraged in her decision by V. Rev. Redmond O’Hanlon, Provincial of the Carmelites, who had been a friend of Miss Pentheny.
Grand Canal Hotel where the Sisters received their first refreshments in Tullamore
On April 21st, 1836, Mother McAuley and four Sisters arrived in Tullamore, by boat on the Grand Canal, to begin the first foundation outside Dublin. Fr. O’Rafferty and Fr. O’Hanlon accompanied them on their “voyage”. A large crowd of people greeted them, ready to welcome the Sisters. more>>
Clara
In the year 1861, Rev. Patrick Barry, Parish Priest of Clara, died. He left a house and grounds for the founding of a Convent. Following a year of negotiating with the new Parish Priest, the Sisters went to Clara on May 1st, 1862. The new venture was under the patronage of Our Lady and St. Brigid. It was decided that the new foundation would remain a branch house of Tullamore for some time as it “was not able to support a Community and there was no accommodation for Postulants.” Tradition has it that the Sisters went over and back between Tullamore and Clara by pony and trap for the first two years of the foundation.
Original School Plaque
Most of the Convent was taken up with classrooms until 1864, when the stables and the coach-house were renovated to make classrooms. The Sisters did not teach regularly until the new classrooms were constructed. They did a lot of visitation to the poor of the parish and also took over the Church choir and the playing of the organ. Sisters from Tullamore often went to Clara for holidays or “change of air” if ill.
Former Convent of Mercy, Clara
Eventually the Clara Convent became autonomous. The Sisters were very involved in the lives of the locals. Education and social work with visitation of the sick occupied all their time. After the amalgamation of the Sisters of Mercy in the Meath Diocese, 1975, Clara was the Novitiate house for a few years.
Current Convent of Mercy, Clara
Kilcormac
Pieta, Kilcormac Church. Found in a local bog after hundreds of years
Convent of Mercy, Kilcormac
The Sisters came to Kilcormac in 1885 at the invitation of Rev. Bernard Flood P.P. The whole town turned out to greet the Sisters who arrived in style in Mr. John Gath’s “carriage and pair”. Fr. Flood had had a convent built side by side with his parochial house on the Main Street of the town.
The solemn opening took place on Pentecost Sunday, 24th May, 1885, the day after the Sisters’ arrival. more>>
Mount Bolus
In 1991 the Sisters of Mercy of the Diocese of Meath responded to an invitation from Mid Offaly Housing Association asking for two Sisters to live and serve in a new project in Mount Bolus. This unique ministry at the heart of rural Offaly was brought about by a dedicated local group who saw the need to bring elderly people out of isolation and into improved housing and social conditions.
The original dream became a reality when Ard Aoibhinn, the first ten houses and communal facilities, opened.
Phase one Ard Aoibhinn: ten houses for elderly
Two Sisters, one from Tullamore and one from Kilcormac came to live in the caretaker’s house. The project was the first Social Housing Scheme for the elderly in Rural Ireland. The Association received grant aid from the Department of the Environment and much local fundraising was done.
See Ministries of Support for further information on Mount Bolus today
Sisters of Mercy in Offaly today are as busy as ever, despite the ageing profile of the communities.
