Archive (1372 life histories found)
'It was during my time in Whiteabbey that I decided to study part time for a B.Ed. degree.'
Immaculata School was very different from Sussex Place. Sr. Anthony Cairns was principal and she was a beautiful lady who was so caring towards me. We became great friends. There were weekly boarders in the school, girls whose homes were too far away…
'The people of the Markets were the salt of the earth and I got to know many of them very well through their children.'
At the beginning of September I was assigned to St Malachy's Convent Primary School, Sussex Place where Sr. Ann McKeever had just been appointed principal, to succeed Sr. M Vincent Donnelly who had been a legend there. I was given a Primary Seven…
'I was so excited about going forward and taking my temporary vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and the service of the people of God in works of mercy.'
I now take up my story on 14th August 1975, the day I made my first profession in the Convent of Mercy, Crumlin Road. That was a wonderful day and I was so excited about going forward and taking my temporary vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and…
Tags: Mercy Order, nun, Profession
'She was one loyal friend to me and stood by me at times when others let me down.'
I returned to Waterford in September 1974 to begin my second year of novitiate. Of the four who had been in the year ahead of us, three had made first profession in their various convents and Rosemary O'Leary had left, as had Doreen Brosnan, before…
Tags: friendship, Novitiate, nun, teachers
'My Uncle Vincent and His wife Aunt Maura came to visit me in Waterford too, and that was the last time I saw him alive.'
We went on a week's holidays to Ardmore to the Cappoquin holiday house and it was a great break for us by the sea. We had a lot of freedom there and the weather was mostly fine and so we had lovely walks to the round tower and other local beauty…
'There was no time for idleness. In fact so tight was this schedule that I asked her when were we supposed to go to the loo!.'
On arrival at Mercy Novitiate, Summerland, Ozanam Street, Waterford, I was met by a few young novices, who took my bags and helped me unload the car. Because I was wearing the black veil they thought I was a professed sister and were ever so helpful.…
'I had never been further south than Dublin and this was a big adventure for me to go so far away.'
During my first year as a postulant in the Convent of Mercy, Crumlin Road, I taught in St Malachy's Primary school on the New Lodge Sr M. Louis Donaghy and Sr.Josephen McAteer were working in Star of the Sea school on Hallidays Road at that time and…
'...my father started cleaning the windows, something he had not done since the day I was born. He was quite vexed at leaving me in the convent.'
It was during my year teaching in St Malachy's, that I entered the Sisters of Mercy on the Crumlin Road. My father and mother left me there on 24th September 1972. My mother told me that when he returned home again, my father started cleaning the…
'The Troubles were in full fling at this time and we learnt not to allow the children out to the toilet unaccompanied, as they would be off to loot, if they heard a bomb going off.'
My next job was in St Malachy's Boys' Primary school on the New Lodge Road where I had a Primary One class. This job was an answer to my mother's prayers. I got it because Fr Brendan McMullan who was a curate in St Patrick's at the time, could not…
'Didn't the sisters in Granard convent come to the conclusion that I was in the notion of entering the convent in Belfast!!!!'
Sr. M. Angela Deignan was very good to me that summer. She invited me to her home outside Granard for a week. We had a wonderful time of it travelling around Longford and Roscommon and seeing parts of the country I had never seen. I would accompany…
Tags: convent, mass, Mercy Order, Nuns