The Sisters of Mercy of Clonfert
1851 – 2002
As the people of Loughrea were slowly recovering from the ravages of the Famine of 1847, a group of Mercy Sisters, led by Mother Vincent Whitty, arrived from Baggot Street on 23rd October, 1851 – the venture by the Tullamore Sisters a year earlier having failed because of death and ill health. The Sisters had come at the invitation of Bishop Derry, because a Mrs Whyte of Loughrea had left a legacy of £1,000 to make a foundation of the Order in the town.
The Sisters immediately set to work, visiting the poor, sick and leprous in their smoky hovels. They also visited the hospitals, which at that time were crowded with poor sufferers as a result of the Famine. Eventually, Sisters took charge of St. Patrick’s Hospital in 1884, now known as St. Brendan’s Hospital. The Sisters ministered, in an unbroken until line there, for 130 years, until the last Sister retired in 2014. (Sisters continue voluntary visits there still). The Sisters were originally accommodated and lived in part of St. Brendan’s. A new house was built on Lake Road, shortly before the millennium and became home, mostly, for the Sisters who had nursed in St. Brendan’s, and they continue in pastoral care to the wider community.
The Sisters believed in education. Shortly after their arrival in 1851 a school was opened, allowing the Carmelite Sisters to return to their cloister. This left the Sisters of Mercy to look after the educational needs of the town. At the dying request of a young Sister, an orphanage was opened in 1862 followed by an Industrial School in 1864. The Sisters supported the orphans out of their own resources, supplemented by an Annual Bazaar and Raffle as well as private donations from friends and benefactors and with insufficient funding from the Government. Both Industrial Schools were closed and, were subsequently demolished in 1967. The grounds now give much free parking space to St. Ita’s Primary School Teachers. In 1917 St. Raphael’s Secondary School was opened, replacing the Private School of the early days. In 1973 the De La Salle Brothers, students and staff joined, St Raphael’s thus becoming co-educational. As numbers increased, there were huge extensions, and now, St. Raphael’s College has enrolments of more than 750 students. The college is reputed for its excellence. In 1987 a small house was opened in a disadvantaged area in Loughrea, St. Laurence’s Fields. A small number of Sisters lived and worked among the poor there. for more than 25 years.
At the dying request of a young Sister, an orphanage was opened in 1862. This became by an Industrial School in 1864. The Sisters supported the orphans out of their own resources, supplemented by an Annual Bazaar and Raffle as well as private donations from friends and benefactors.
Ballinasloe
In 1854 a foundation was made in Ballinasloe. The Sisters there ministered to the poor and needy, as well as giving religious instructions in the Workhouse, in spite of much opposition from the Protestant Landlord. The Sisters took up permanent residence in a small house nearby in 1872. A Reformatory was opened in 1864, which eventually became an Industrial School in 1884. The nuns had a vision for second level education for girls in Ballinasloe and its hinterland. September 1919 they invited girls into 2 rooms in the Convent for secondary education. 15 girls came on the first day, despite earnest efforts. Change came slowly, yet the Sisters continued to give their time for free, and with small capitation grants from Department and small tuition fees. The school survived on a wing and a prayer. The Davy family bequeathed 2 houses on Society Street to the Mercy Sisters, which became the nucleus of Scoil Mhuire in 1950. The Sisters strove to be authentic, dedicated and single minded teachers in times of hardship and turmoil. There was a wideness and a kindness in them that flowed out. After many years waiting, the secondary school moved to new premises early in 2003, on a site which had belonged to Garbally College; under lay leadership, Árd Scoil Mhuire was born. Similar to Loughrea a small house was opened in another area, ‘Hymany, Ballinasloe,’ in the mid-nineties. Here, a few Sisters lived and worked among, with and for the poor. In the mid-nineties, Sisters also ran a day-care centre in conjunction with HSE. It was increasingly clear that Ballinasloe Convent was no longer fit for purpose. Decisions were made, small houses were bought in Mount Pleasant, in Garbally Drive and in Creagh. In 1995, the convent was sold and vacated. Intentional communities moved into the new areas. They continue to minister in Ballinasloe which is now part of ‘Sisters of Mercy in the Western Province.’
Portumna
Clonfert spread its wings in 1882, when a foundation was made in Portumna, The Sisters taught in stable buildings, adapted for use, until a new Primary School was built. They visited the Workhouse daily before working there permanently in 1886. A Technical School/Rural Domestic School, was built by the Sisters and opened in 1898 with accommodation for 20 students. During almost 100 years, until 1985, the RDS was of immense help for women in rural areas. Maria Regina Secondary School for girls was opened in 1957 and has since amalgamated with the boys’ secondary school in the town and is now known as Portumna College. When the RDS was closed in 1985, the focus at first was for Youth ministry, but through discernment and in answer to the ‘cry of the earth’ the focus changed to saving our Common Home. An eco-friendly house was built on the grounds. An Gáirdín came into being. Today, two Sisters, with lay involvement, share the good news about caring for our environment and living out the Papal encyclical, Laudato Si’. The emphasis is on our interconnectedness with everything, every living species. Portumna Convent and adjoining Primary School were impressive buildings and were built about 1892, but 100 years later, they are uninhabited. Some Sisters had moved to the eco-friendly house. Others moved to another house, which had been opened on Shannon Rd, in 1915. The last Sister who lived there died in 2014. Over a few years in this 21st century, the 100 year old buildings, Convent and National School, and Shannon Road house were all sold.
The embedded Celtic lettering headstone – Clonfert Cathedral
Woodford
New foundations in Woodford in 1900 saw the traditional works of visitation and education being carried on at Primary level by the Sisters. In 1960, the Sisters opened a secondary school in Woodford; Woodford Mercy College was co-educational from the beginning (1960) and lasts right up to the present day. A Mercy Sister, who had been Principal in Woodford Mercy College, retired, and the first non-religious Principal was appointed in 1990. As well as working in education, there was also a very helpful health-ministry with a Mercy Public Health Nurse in Woodford. A new Primary school was opened in Woodford and the last Mercy Sister retired from there in 2010. Lay Principals were appointed in both the primary and the secondary and education continues under lay leadership.
Eyrecourt
Eyrecourt was founded in 1902 and, as elsewhere, the traditional works of visitation and education were carried on at Primary level by the Sisters. A small second level school was set up in the 1960’s but had a short lifespan as the Department of Education 1967, had introduced free transport to bigger schools such as Portumna. The Secondary School in Eyrecourt closed in 1972. Convents in both locations, Eyrecourt and Woodford, were sold in 1989, and the Sisters stayed in rented accommodation until suitable small houses were ready for them. Three Sisters took up residence in Eyrecourt in a modest bungalow in April 1990. A new Primary School was opened in January 1989, and the last Sister of Mercy teaching there retired in 2006. As I write in November 2020, just one Sister remains in Woodford and one in Eyrecourt, where they continue a ministry of prayer and visitation.
California
Clonfert Sisters didn’t confine themselves to Clonfert, as 1959 saw a foundation in Napa, California. This was followed in 1962, by another in San Francisco. The latter has been closed in recent years, but Napa continued until recently. Much to the regret of the people, the last two surviving Clonfert Mercy Sisters in California, returned to Ireland in 2017 and 2019. California greatly appreciated the Catholic education their children received from the Sisters. Since 1959 in Napa, and 1960 in San Francisco, Clonfert Mercy Sisters were the hands and heart of the schools; as principals, teachers and mentors keeping the best interests of students and parents the priority.
South Africa
1987 saw Clonfert reach out again. This time, it was South Africa that was calling. Having initially settled in Piet Retief, the Sisters moved to Bethal near Johannesburg in 1995, close to Secunda where the Sisters had made a second foundation in 1990. The aim of the Sisters was to do all they could to help in the fight against Apartheid. With the union of the Clonfert houses and the South African Province in 2001, Secunda was closed. Again, the people of the black townships in particular, found it difficult to part with the Sisters they had come to know and love.
Western Province
In Ireland, 1994, Clonfert became part of the Western Province. Loughrea, the former motherhouse of Clonfert, was one of three houses in the Western Province to be founded directly from Baggot Street. It was here, that Catherine McAuley spent a night with the Carmelite Nuns on her way to Galway. She even wrote a poem about her night with the Carmelite nuns in Loughrea! Faithful to the call of mercy, the Sisters still engage in the traditional works of visitation, education, work with youth, with those on the margins of society, and also in ecology and environmental issues. Though in tune with the general diminishment of aging among religious, the Sisters are growing old gracefully. Many feel that they have the hundredfold as they enjoy comfort, calm and serenity.
Ogham (left)
Runic (right) = Hold Fast
Achonry | Ardagh & Clonmacnois | Clonfert | Elphin | Galway | Killala | Tuam
