A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
SISTERS OF THE PRESENTATION OF MARY
IN IRELAND

as told by Sr. Jeanne  Touchette, p.m.

In the summer of 1961, on my way to England to replace Sr. Mary Theophile, I was notified, while on board the Saxonia, Cunard Line at Le Havre, France, to disembark and come to our Mother House in Bourg-St-Andeol for a retreat, and to meet with our Mother General, Ste-Jeanne-d'Arc.

In France, Mother Ste-Jeanne-d'Arc asked me to keep my eyes and ears open while in England to see if there was a way the congregation could found a mission in Ireland.  This move would, she hoped, get Irish vocations to come to the help of our Sisters stationed in Exeter, England.  I said, "How do I do this? I know no one there and know not the difference between a farthing and a pound."  She confidently smiled.

At Palace Gate convent in Exeter, I met Sr. St. Columban (Agnes Kelly from Cappitagle, County Galway) who had been stationed in Exeter for many years.  I wondered when last she had visited "home" in Ireland.  Sister was elderly, but she still had a niece, Mrs. Sadie Goode, living in Ballinasloe, County Galway.  I learned that Sister had not gone home in seven years, so permission and arrangements were made to spend a month at Sadie's house with Sr. Columban.

While there, I scouted for a school and vocations but had only one request from a three-year-old who wanted to be a "nun" like me!  However, the night before we returned to England, Sadie mentioned her friend, Mrs. Maureen Melody, who owned a private school: St. Cuan's Secondary School, in Castleblakeney, County Galway.  The school registered 81 girls.

Upon returning to England, arrangements were made to meet with Maureen to see if there was any chance of our buying her school.  Later, Sr. Marie Carmella and I returned to Ireland, negotiated with Mr. and Mrs. Desmond Melody, an auctioneer, who agreed to sell us (after much bargaining) the small property on which sat Mrs. Melody's school, for 13,000 pounds, approximately $39,000 American dollars, at that time.

Later, Sr. Marie Carmella and I returned to Ireland, to visit the Bishop and every Canon and parish priest of the Diocese of Elphin so that at the next diocesan meeting, the congregation would be accepted and granted permission to found a mission in Ireland.  Everything fell into place, and on September 13, 1963, Sr. St. Columban and I slept on the Irish Sea on our way to open the first Presentation of Mary convent in Ireland.

We docked in Dublin's port, taxied to the train station, rode to Ballinasloe where Maureen met us with her car to drive us to our future convent in Castleblakeney, 16 miles from there.  We arrived home on September 14, 1963, feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

At that time, Castleblakeney was a tiny village consisting of a one-teacher National School, Maureen's Secondary School, 14 homes, 3 pubs, and 1 post-office. There were a butcher's shop, a bakery, a drug store and a doctor in Mount Bellew, 3 miles away from us.  The parish church was in Caltra, one mile away, where we attended Mass. Father Feely, our parish priest, was loved by everyone.  One day he told me that my family name in Gaelic would have been Feeley because to touch (Touchette) is to feel! Our parish was really an offshoot of the church in Ahascragh under dear old Dean Brennan.  Maureen's school had begun in Ahascragh, but had later moved to Castleblakeney.

And so, on the feast day of the Cross, we were received at the convent by Mrs. Hilda Fitzgerald, Mrs. Mona Lally, and Mrs. Eileen Mellody, three teachers employed by Maureen who was Head Mistress.  They made us most welcome with hearty embraces and prayerful wishes for the success of our venture.

Within a few days, we had purchased a car, a new Ford, from the Ballinasloe garage, and I began driving early mornings and late afternoons to pick up and bring back home, students who couldn't come to school otherwise.  Enrollment began to increase, thus offering competition to a neighboring Secondary School; this caused many a headache.  By 1965, we had bought our neighbor, Nellie Mannion's back garden, and had Banagher Tiles Company build a pre-fabricated, three-classroom building, heated electrically.  Boys were now requesting to attend St. Cuan's, so upon the Bishop's advice, we began registering boys and increasing staff.  At that time, I could not teach in school because everything was taught in Gaelic.  In the late 60's, I received my Higher Diploma of Education and became Head Mistress.  The staff now included 4 men and 7 women.

In 1967, we bought the field adjacent to the 1963 building from Mr. Patrick Kelly, our second neighbor. I had a water-diviner come and a well was dug.  Another school building went up that year: this one housed a large science laboratory, toilets for boys and girls (a real novelty), a woodwork and preparation room, classes, and an office.

As enrollment continued to increase, more room was needed, and so was transportation.  I visited the Minister for Transportation in Dublin and obtained that St. Cuan's students be added to the list of Free School Transport,  At this time, school enrollment was 325 boys and girls.

Across the street from the 1967 building was a large field that we were fortunate enough to buy from Mr. Gilmore.  It was here that Banagher Tiles built the 1969 building.  This housed a large gymnasium-auditorium with stage, showers for athletes, domestic science facilities for cooking and sewing, a Guidance Counseling suite, rest rooms and coatrooms, classrooms, special geography and art rooms, a staff room and offices.  All these facilities surrounded an open space that housed the library and could also serve all day as a constantly-supervised study hall. This building had its own boiler and heating system as well as running water from the newly-dug well.

In February 1971, I caught cold and was confined to my bed, with a running fever.  For five months, I continued business transactions from my bed.  Father Feeley and Doctor O'Brien visited every day.  Finally, Sr. Jean-du-Bon-Pasteur, Regional Superior in England, came and decided I needed "natal air." So, in July 1971, Sr. St. Alphee from England flew with me to Boston where my mother and brother Jean met me and then accompanied me to Florida.  There, at my brother Norbert's house and at the Abbey Hospital where he was Administrator, I was restored to health, and within a couple of months, I returned to my beloved home at Rivier College, Nashua, NH, to rest and gain more strength.

Many Presentation Sisters deserve credit for all the work they did during those years.  Sr. St. Marie-Anna, from the Methuen (Massachusetts) Province, arrived in Ireland at Christmas time, 1963.  She lived in Ireland and cooked for us for many, many years.  She was ever a kind, friendly, self-giving companion.  When she arrived, I now had a new companion, so Sr. St. Columban was able to return to England.  Much appreciation is also due to Sr. Audrey Bardsley, also from the Methuen Province.  She gave her musical and teaching talents unreservedly to all her students in school, and her love and sisterly affection to us at the convent.  Sisters Lorraine Letourneau and Clara Garand who arrived from Methuen the year before I became ill were a tremendous help and support.  After I left, Sr. Lorraine took over my responsibilities.

Eventually, the congregation had to leave St. Cuan's.  At present, the school is a Diocesan School.  Mr. Eamonn Donaghue, who was Guidance Counselor in 1969, became Head Master.