MACROOM.
In 1857 Miss Mary Ann McSweeney, whose father Dr. E. McSweeney, had a practice in North Square, Macroom, bequeathed four farms in Aghina and two houses in North Square to Cannon Lee P.P. with the request to establish a Convent of Sisters to serve the poor of the town.
Foundation Stone is laid.
On Monday, 24th August 1857 the foundation stone of the new buildings was laid in the yard of the present Church, where lines of the new erections were already laid out. They were to consist of a Convent to be occupied by a number of Sisters of Mercy and an addition to the Church which would connect the two buildings.
An immense crowd numbering up to over 7,000 overflowed the spacious Church for the celebration of Mass and then crammed every corner of the Church yard for the Ceremony.
At one o’clock the ceremony started. A procession formed and proceeded to the spot where the stone was suspended from a pair of temporary shears. The procession consisted of Crossbearer, Acolytes, Priests of all surrounding parishes and Right Rev. Dr.Keane, Bishop of Cloyne and Ross.
After the prescribed prayers had been said, a bottle, containing the coins of the period, the names in Latin of the officiating Bishop, the founder of the Convent, Cannon Lee P.P. and the architect, Mr. Hurley of Cork. The bottle was sealed with the seal of the Diocese and inserted beneath the bed of the stone.
After the chanting of Litanies the Bishop prepared to lay the stone. For this he was presented by Mr.Hurley with a neatly carved wooden hammer and a silver trowel.
The Bishop took the trowel and marked with the sign of the Cross each side of the stone. Then placing on it a little mortar he placed it on the bed beneath. He then struck it lightly with the little hammer and the foundation stone was laid.
Canon Lee died September 1861 before the building was complete. Canon Cullinane, the Administrator in Cobh was appointed to Macroom to replace him. He knew the Sisters of Mercy in Cobh and invited them to come to make a foundation in Macroom in 1865.
Sisters of Mercy Macroom, Founded from Cobh 20 November 1865
On the eve of the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lady, 20 November 1865 Rev. Mother M. Baptist O’Neill arrived from Cobh with the Sisters. Mother M. Evangelist O’Mahony was to be Superior, Mother M. Stanislaus O’Callaghan and two novices Sr. M. Bernard McMasters and Sr. M. Joseph Harrington and a few Sisters to stay until the four were settled in .It was a fast day for the Sisters so the local ladies who had provided a sumptuous meal had to enjoy their own bounty.
Pension School/ Intermediate School/ Secondary School
There was already a primary school in the town being run by a secular teacher, Miss Tiptot, so it was a Pension School the Sisters opened at first. The location was in the large parlour in the Convent.
The Intermediate School was built in 1897 it was one of the first in the country. St. Mary’s Secondary School was built in 1962 and it was renovated and extended in 2008.
Technical School
In the 1897 a large room in the new convent was devoted to technical Education. Here teachers were employed for lace-making and knitting and worked with their pupils on a range of expensive machines which had been purchased in order to comply with the requirements of the vocational board. The range of classes was extended to include cooking and dressmaking when the Dept. of Education acknowledged the standard of the work being undertaken by the sisters in the school.
New Century
In 1902 Bishop Browne expressed a wish that Sisters from the diocese of Cloyne would attend a summer course in St. Colman’s College, Fermoy in Science. Teachers were provided by the Dept. of Science and Agriculture. Sisters form Macroom attended the course. In 1904/1905 Bishop Brown again succeeded in getting a Domestic Economy teacher from the Dept. of Education to provide a special training course for teacher of Domestic Economy (including Elementary Physiology and Hygiene, Chemistry of Food, Household Management and Theory and Practice of Education). The course was held in the Convent of Mercy, Cobh. Srs. Albeus and Malachy Marrinan from Macroom stayed in the Convent of Mercy, Rushbrooke while attending the course during the session 1904-1905. They were examined by the Department in 1905 and awarded the Diploma of a Teacher of Cookery from the Board of Agriculture and the County Council Board of Education.
In 1909 a new Technical School was built on a site on Mount St. Joseph’s. The work in the Technical School was under the Dept. of Education during the years 1903-1925 and then the grants were withdrawn leaving the Sisters to fund its activities form 1925-1947. The new school had a large kitchen which was placed at the disposal of primary, Secondary and technical classes. The Technical School also availed of the upper floor of the building for sewing classes. Eventually classes ended in the Technical School when a new site was purchased (1935) to erect a new secondary school. Anew modern kitchen was provided in the new secondary School which commenced in 1960 and was completed in 1962. All cookery classes were moved to the new school and the old technical school was closed.
A Technical School operated from 1909 to 1925 providing training and employment in the town.
Primary School
When the teacher, Miss Tiptot, died the Sisters took over the Primary School. The accommodation in the school-house was inadequate so Canon Cullinane had fine roomy classrooms constructed on the south side of the garden. The parishioners contributed stones, sand and equipment and funds for the expense of the building. The Primary School opened in 1868. After 1869 a small salary was received. A new primary school was built in 1974.
Workhouse
The Sisters ministered in the Workhouse Hospital from 1892 to 1921.
Blanket Fund:
The people of Macroom have always been generous to the poor. A Blanket Fund left in charge of Commission for Charitable Requests by Mr. Whelply and paid each winter to the to the Parish Priest was dispensed by the Sisters. In later years other funds were administered by them for the benefit of students and people in need.
Extension to the Convent:
As the number of Sisters in the community gradually increased it was found necessary to enlarge the building. To raise funds the people of the town organised a bazaar followed by a concert which proved a great success. The proceeds enabled the Rev. Mother to build a new wing on the south side. It consists of kitchen, pantries, and store rooms on the ground floor. Overhead is an airy corridor leading to six rooms equally bright and airy. Over the years the convent was renovated and extended.
Closure of the Convent in 2012
With great regret the decision was made in 2012 to close the convent thus ending the long tradition of the Convent of Mercy in Macroom. Sisters departed to live in various places in Cork city and county. The convent was eventually sold in 2016 to a sculptor.
End of link with education in Macroom
The last sister- remained on as principal of the primary school until 2017 when she retired. Her retirement brought to an end the presence of Mercy Sisters in education in Macroom.
Annals of the Sisters of Mercy. Macroom
Southern Province 