'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!.'

'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!.'

Rosemary remembers life in Novitiate in Waterford. She describes the strict daily routines as well as the friendships she made there.

Rosemary McCloskey

Trinity College Dublin

1973

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Rosemary McCloskey

Work and Employment

Life Story

Summerland, Ozanam Street, Waterford

1970's

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 was much older than the others. When they discovered that I was no more senior than themselves, they had a good laugh and proceeded to give me a 'hard time' for exploiting them!!!! Many a time we laughed about it since. The novices I met that day were Sr. Kathleen Dooris RIP (Enniskillen), Sr. Maura Farrell (Ballymahon), Sr. Maureen Forde (Drogheda) and Sr. Doreen Brosnan (Moate), who were to be my companions during the first year of novitiate.There were four others in the second year, Sr. Bernie Ryan (Waterford), Sr. Angela Reilly (Tullamore), Sr. Breda Daly (Loughrea) and Sr. Rosemary O'Leary(Wexford) . They were quite helpful to us and showed us what was expected. The staff were Sr. M Carmel O'Callaghan (Cappoquin) novice mistress, Sr. Michael Power (Waterford) bursar and Sr. Gabriel (Dungarvan) who used to come on a Friday to teach us English literature and a bit of philosophy. The first year was very strict, but Sr. Carmel O'Callaghan, was a very fair and understanding lady, whom we all loved and respected. The day I first saw the 'horarium' or timetable, I was quite upset. Every minute from 6.20am when the call bell rang, until 10.30pm when the lights were turned out, was accounted for. 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!We had Mass most mornings, in the Convent of Mercy in Philip Street, which was just down the road from the novitiate. We would slip in quietly as the sisters there were finishing morning- prayer, change our shoes and proceed to our designated stalls in front of the professed sisters. The Waterford sisters sang on every feast day, at those Masses and they were beautiful.

Irish Research Council for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)