Linking the Old to the New, the Past to the Future

During the summer of 1992 the community of over twenty Sisters living in Baggot Street began to downsize. Little by little, the Sisters moved to different communities in various locations in the dioceses, in preparation for the imminent transformation of the convent into what was to be called ‘Mercy International’.

August 1992. Last days of the Community at Baggot Street prior to the building commencing

By September 1992 only five Sisters remained, to form a transitional presence as the architects and builders began their initial preparations for the work of refurbishment and restoration. These final six months were historic in that they brought to a close the unbroken continuity of over 161 years in which this first foundation of Catherine McAuley was home to a Dublin community.

For a number of years the Dublin congregation had been acutely aware of the urgent need for a solution to be found for the future of Baggot Street. The Sisters involved in teaching in both Baggot Street and Townsend Street had retired or moved elsewhere, and then there was the huge issue of dry rot. Our little community of five was aware of our privilege of being the transition group linking the old to the new, the past to the future.

Mary Dympna Corkell rsm was our leader. She came to join us from Dún Laoghaire, where she was assistant to the then leader of the Dublin congregation (Dervilla Byrne rsm). Dympna now lived with us, but commuted daily from Baggot Street to the congregational offices in Dún Laoghaire. The remaining four of us had been members of the Baggot Street community, and we continued with our various ministries. Magdalena Frisby rsm was involved with archives, and was sacristan. Fearghal McSweeney rsm took care of the accounts, and was party to all the intricate details linked with the legal aspects of the impending new ownership of the buildings. Francis Lowe rsm continued her ministry in the National Library, a relatively short walking distance from Baggot Street, and Carmel McCarthy rsm continued lecturing in the Department of Near Eastern Languages, UCD, a thirty-minute journey by bicycle.

We grew used to the much quieter house, missing all the activity and memories of former years. However, it was only quieter at night! Little by little the builders moved in, and gradually things began to change.

From dawn to dusk, banging was heard all over the house. Walls were partially knocked. Holes appeared in the most unexpected areas, allowing the dust of over 160 years to emerge from hidden spaces. This was especially true when it came to the attics. I don’t think anyone had been up there for well over a century, and, as soundings were made in these upper reaches, we thought we might even find some hidden treasures or family heirlooms tucked away.

We organized our lives around all of this chaos, coming home each evening to new holes, more and more rubble, and dust everywhere. We used the small parlour near the Herbert St entrance as our dining room, where Mary Traynor often joined us for an evening meal. We continued to use the chapel until that too came under the builders’ hammer. Magdalena was quite upset when the builders started work in the chapel before she had arranged for the transfer of the Blessed Sacrament to the Catherine McAuley Room on the first floor. Such was the speed with which they made their probes that each day held new surprises for us.

We were able to remain in our respective bedrooms however, and sidestep the debris and dust at every corner. In many ways it was an exciting time as we witnessed daily the dismantling of the past in order to make way for the future. The basement was especially in need of remedial work, for it was there in particular that dry rot had taken up reidence.

We organized our lives around all of this chaos, coming home each evening to new holes, more and more rubble, and dust everywhere. We used the small parlour near the Herbert St entrance as our dining room, where Mary Traynor often joined us for an evening meal. We continued to use the chapel until that too came under the builders’ hammer. Magdalena was quite upset when the builders started work in the chapel before she had arranged for the transfer of the Blessed Sacrament to the Catherine McAuley Room on the first floor. Such was the speed with which they made their probes that each day held new surprises for us. We were able to remain in our respective bedrooms however, and sidestep the debris and dust at every corner. In many ways it was an exciting time as we witnessed daily the dismantling of the past in order to make way for the future. The basement was especially in need of remedial work, for it was there in particular that dry rot had taken up residence.

Farewell to the transitional community: l-r: Srs Mary Dympna Corkell, Francis Lowe, Fearghal McSweeney, Carmel McCarthy and Magdalena Frisby (RIP)

On our last Christmas in 1992 we walked to the Carmelite church in Clarendon Street for Midnight Mass, mindful of the many former Christmas Eves on which this short journey had been made by countless Sisters of Mercy in the past. With the new year, our time for leaving Baggot Street was coming closer. We each knew the locations of our new homes, so we too began our final packing.

Shortly before we left in March 1993, Mary Trainer arranged a special celebration to mark the end. After sharing a meal downstairs, we then moved to our temporary oratory upstairs in Catherine’s Room, where Mary presented us each with an engraved plaque to commemorate the closure, and the end of an era.

Messages to: Carmel McCarthy rsm

Afterward: As the Sisters were leaving Baggot Street the rope on the bell that had been there for the previous 160 years broke and the bell that had marked the various activities of the convent and was heard in the surrounding areas ceased to function. It was as if it wanted to mark the end of an era.