THE Sisters of Mercy in Killarney have expressed surprise and disappointment at the controversial legislation that will see the local town council abolished in a matter of weeks.
The nuns, who have a proud 170-year history in the town, said the elected members and local authority officials have played a huge role in the many positive developments that have taken place in the area over the decades and they have ensured that Killarney is a wonderful place to live.
Speaking at a civic reception to mark the order’s landmark anniversary, held in the town hall on Thursday night, Sr Carmel O’Leary said it was a wonderful honour for the nuns to be recognised at such an official level and she stressed that the council would be really missed in the locality.
“It beggars belief that one of the most important tourist towns in the country won’t have its own council or mayor,” said Sr Carmel, a retired principal of the Holy Cross Mercy national school.
“We are very honoured to be here and we appreciate the praise you have given us for our work in education and with the sick. But it wasn’t all give – look at what we have got from Killarney,” she said.
“We entered the order as young people and we have lived our lives here. We did our best, we gave of our best and we got so much back from the people of Killarney,” added Sr Carmel who originally hails from Gneeveguilla.
Also in attendance at the civic reception was another former Holy Cross Mercy primary school principal, Sr Regina Hickey, as well as Sr Colette Dennehy, a native of Fossa, who is the last member of the order still teaching at the school.
Others there on the night included Sr Mary Lyne, Sr Kathleen Liston, Sr Eileen Courtney, Sr Joan O’Sullivan, Sr Pius O’Brien, Sr Catherine Courtney, St AnnMarie Horgan, Sr Dolores Ahern, Sr Columba Relihan, Sr Julianne Sullivan and Sr Assumpta O’Shea.
The order’s head office in Cork was represented by Sr Claire O’Reilly, Sr Nora Flynn and Sr Nora Ann Lombard.
Holy Cross Mercy principal Ursula Coffey enjoyed the evening and the school’s teachers were represented by Ella Parker, Judy O’Mahony, Alice O’Donnell, Rhonda Daly and Anne Lucey.
The school’s board of management was represented by chairperson Bridget McGuire, Fr Niall Howard, Fiona O’Sullivan and John O’Mahony.
* For a full report on the Mercy Order civic reception and the remarkable story of how the nuns came to Killarney, see our News Specials section
