Passage West convent was the brainchild of Miss Barbara Gould of Sidney Place, Cork. She was also a generous benefactor to the foundations of the convent in Rutland Street and St. Maries of the Isle. It was her dying wish and in her will, dated June 1858, she left £1000 and the proceeds of her house property for the foundation of a Mercy Convent at Passage West on condition that the convent would be built within eight years of her death, otherwise the money was to be devoted to other charitable purposes. She died two months later in August 1858.
The Bishop, Dr, Delaney, and Rev. Mother Josephine Ward of St. Maries of the Isle gladly accepted the bequest. With the approval of the Rev. T. Holland, Parish Priest of Passage West, Monkstown and Shanbally Parish it was arranged that a convent would be founded which for the time being would be a branch house of St. Maries of the Isle. While the convent was in the process of being built in 1858 four Sisters went daily from St. Maries of the Isle to Passage West and instructed the children in the National School in the Christian Doctrine and visited the sick in the parish. The four Sisters were Sisters Joseph Walsh, Stanislaus Warde, Patricia Murphy and Agnes Daly. Sometime later they took a house and had it reconstructed into a little convent called St. Peter’s and opened a schoolroom there.
The convent was built in 1865.The first Superioress was Mother M. Austin Murphy, her Assistant was Mother M. Patricia Murphy with Mother Mary Mercy Carroll as Mistress of Novices. The other Sisters were Sr. Frances Xavier McCarthy who returned later to St. Maries of the Isle and a novice, Sr. Gertrude Buckley, a niece of Mother M. Patricia. She had been in the Novitiate in St. Maries of the Isle but made her profession here on 14th November 1866. She died on the 29th March 1870. The first postulant to enter Passage West was Sister Joseph Cullinane. When the convent was built it became a distinct foundation independent of St. Maries of the Isle. To defray the cost of the building, Miss Gould’s legacy was supplemented by several donations from the town’s people and from Dean Neville.
The history of the community in the early years is one of extreme poverty and hardship. For some years there was no permanent school premises. Classes were held sometimes in the upper part of the Boys’ National School and sometimes in the schoolroom in St. Peter’s. In 1867 the erection of a poor school, St. Patrick’s involved a debt which was paid off by a legacy left by Miss Margaret Lee in 1872. For many years after the opening of the convent instruction in Catechism was given in St. Patrick’s classroom every Sunday by Mother Patricia to the men and boys of the parish. Mother Patricia spent 68 years of her life working in Passage West. She died on the 27th March 1924. Her memory lived on in Passage West for many years, she was cherished for her charity, sympathy, discretion and humour and her devotion and love for the poor.
In 1891 St. Peter’s was demolished and some spacious classrooms were erected. Further extensions were made in 1893 and these with St. Patrick’s School were the nucleus of the National School.
In 1893 other classrooms were added to the Convent National School. Mary Mount was added some years later for a yearly rent of £l0.
Industrial school
In 1875 the foundation of the Industrial School was laid beside the convent entrance. The Architect was Mr. McMullen and the builder was Mr. Sisk. It was a three storey building for young boys from infancy to ten years.
This school was opened in 1882 and was known as “The Young Boy’s Industrial School.” This school was designed originally for thirty-three children, most of whom were orphans. The money for this school had to be borrowed from a gentleman in the Parish, Mr. Murphy, Bellevue, who lent it without charging interest. The Bishop of Cork, Dr. Delaney, gave £200 towards furnishing the school. On 7 October 1882 the first admissions took place. By 1November 30 boys were in residence, Numbers increased gradually to 80. This necessitated the purchase of Mount Prospect House in 1923. Owing to structural alterations, extensions and repairs it was not ready for occupation until 1932.
Dr. Cohalan, Bishop of Cork, performed the opening ceremony on 19 December 1932. The opening of Mount St. Joseph’s was the contribution made by the Sisters of Mercy, Passage West, to the centenary celebrations of Mother Catherine McAuley.
The boys took up residence there the following year.
The new building was called St. Joseph’s Industrial School and Orphanage. Known as Mount St. Joseph’s. In July 1966 girls were also cared for in Mount St. Joseph’s.
In 1999 The Sisters of Mercy announced that they were withdrawing from Child Care Services. The transfer of administration was made to The Southern Health Board. Mount St. Joseph’s Industrial School was handed over to the Southern Health Board
Monkstown
Passage West and Monkstown were at that time one parish and two Sisters walked daily to Monkstown to take charge of the school there. On 15 October1928 a small private school was opened by the Sisters and placed under the protection of St. Teresa and the Child Jesus. It was intended to provide Catholic education to many children of mixed marriages who would otherwise have attended the local Protestant school in the place. This school was closed 15 June 1968 because there was a flourishing Catholic National School in Monkstown. It had an enrolment of eighty pupils at that time. Srs. Patricia Quinlan and Finbarr Crowley were the last two Srs. to serve there.
Secondary Education
St. Elizabeth’s school was built by money given to the Superior for the use of a private primary school. It continued in existence until 1922. On the closure of the Private School St. Elizabeth’s was used for the instruction of standards seven and eight of the Primary School. Here students were prepared for King’s Scholarship, which was the entrance examination for Teacher Training Colleges. At a later date pupils were given tuition for County Council and Civil Service Examinations.
In 1944, under the guidance of Sr. Dympna McGrath, St. Elizabeth’s became a Secondary Top where the students received secondary education under the National School Board. A post primary school on a co- educational basis was established in 1968. This was of great benefit to the boys of the area. From 1st September 1975 the Post Primary School got full secondary school status and was named St.Mary’s Secondary School. Sr. Assumpta Hegarty was appointed Principal.
In1990 St.Mary’s amalgamated with the Technical School and became known as St. Peter’s Community School. Sr. Finbarr Crowley was chaplain to the school until her retirement in 1993. She was the last Sr. of Mercy to work there
St. Marv’s Convent Primary School/ Star of the Sea
The school was built in 1866. An extension was added in 1958. It was co-ed up to and including First Class. After receiving First Holy Communion the boys transferred to the local Boys’ School. The convent school amalgamated with Scoil Cholmcille in 1999 under the name of Star of the Sea Primary School. The Sister of Mercy who was Principal at that time resigned her post. She was the last Sister of Mercy to work in the school. The name Star of the Sea was chosen to honour Our Lady and in recognition of the involvement of the Mercy Order in Passage West and to reflect the maritime location.
Closure of the Convent 1996
On 24 September 1996 the Sisters vacated the large, traditional convent which was located in the Main Street in the town. They purchased two houses high up on Church Hill. These were four bed-roomed houses newly built on a new estate called Park View. In July 2020 the last two Sisters of 1Parkview, Church Hill, Passage West vacated the property. One Sister is now living with the community in Arus Muire, McCurtain Hill, Scartagh, Clonakilty while the other now lives 7 Woodview, Moyderwell, Tralee.
At present two Sisters live in the houses. (2021)
The convent was sold but was undeveloped for many year. This year (2021) the site is up for sale again.
Irish Examiner 04 March 2021
By Catherine Shanahan
“A convent and lands previously owned by the Sisters of Mercy in Passage West have gone on the market for €1.2m. The 3.16 acre mixed-use town centre site is being sold by ERA Downey McCarthy on behalf of Barry Coleman of Clyda Eco Homes Ltd, the company that also owns the site of the former John Barleycorn Hotel in Glanmire, which is currently under offer for a sum in excess of the asking price of €1.6m The Convent site on Main St, overlooking the lower harbour, is earmarked as a “key regeneration opportunity” in the Passage West Strategic Plan 2018-2022, and has full planning permission for 35 apartments, 13 detached homes and two retail units. Buildings currently on site include the former St Mary’s National School, the Sisters of Mercy Convent, a former industrial school and some ancillary outbuildings.”
Southern Province 