The Mercy Sisters’ Role in Our Education Since 1844

The first Sisters of Mercy arrived in Killarney on October 1st, 1844. They were given a house at the top of High Street, where O’Shea’s Garage stands today. The convent was known as St. Brigid’s. The Sisters arrived on the eve of the Great Famine, so they took care of the sick and the poor in their homes. They also erected a wooden hut at the rear of the convent where they cared for orphaned children. St. Brigid’s was also to be their first school in Killarney. It was known as ‘Flaggy Hall’. It was a place where adults as well as children were taught “before facing the emigrant ship.”

Over the next few years, the growing number of pupils forced the Sisters to look for a bigger building. At this time, the Franciscan Friars were leaving their house in College Street to move to the newly built Friary. It was here, where the Arbutus Hotel stands today, that the Sisters opened their new school, ‘St. David’s’. The building had Gothic doors and windows, and there were two classrooms, one upstairs for the senior pupils. There were about 100 pupils in the school. The Sisters ate their lunch of cold tea and dry bread in a room behind the school. The pupils were encouraged to work hard and were given merit cards and prizes at the end of term. Even in very difficult times, a high standard of work was always expected in Mercy Schools.

The number of orphaned children in need of care continued to grow even after the Famine, leaving very little space in St. Brigid’s Convent in High Street. The Reverend Mother, Mother M. de Sales Bridgman, also felt a new convent was essential, because during that first decade in Killarney it had lost eleven of its members, probably to consumption. The Earl of Kenmare gave a wonderful site, and a new stone-cut convent was built, designed by Mr. Welby Pugin. On July 2nd, 1857, the Sisters moved to the new convent, which is still their home today. A temporary school was set up in St. Brigid’s until the new National School was opened. Teaching also continued in St. David’s until the 1870s.

An infant boys’ school was opened on the site of the present Garda Station in 1872. This was later used as a boys’ orphanage. In 1888, the stone-cut Holy Cross National School was opened. The name “Holy Cross” served as a reminder of the crosses worn by eleven of the first Sisters in Killarney, who had lost their lives while caring for the poor. The school, which houses the Pastoral Centre today, had two separate parts and entrances: the junior side for boys and girls up to second class, and the senior side for girls up to the age of 18.

In 1938, the Sisters began preparing girls for state examinations such as the Leaving Cert. This took place at the ‘Secondary Top’. Later, in 1952, the lace rooms across from the National School were knocked, and a secondary school was built. Sr. Paschal Bowler was the first Sister to be sent to university and became principal of St. Teresa’s Secondary School. In 1974, St. Teresa’s closed, as it was amalgamated with the Presentation Secondary School in New Street.

The Mercy Sisters were also greatly involved in music and lace-making. They established a lace industry, which gave employment and trained girls for work. At the same time, Holy Cross National School was amalgamated with Presentation Primary School.
On July 1st, 1977, our new primary school was opened on a site donated by the Mercy Sisters. 650 pupils attended the new school, which officially opened in May 1981.