Buncrana convent to close after 90 years 24.07.12

THE Sisters of Mercy are to close their convent in Buncrana after 90 years of educational and religious ministry in the seaside town. The closure of the convent will be completed by mid-September and the remaining elderly sisters will relocate to Thornhill in Derry. It is expected that the large convent building will be put up for sale. The order is the latest victim of falling vocations and an ageing membership that is finding it increasingly difficult to upkeep large and expensive-to-run period buildings. Their Loreto counterparts are in the process of selling their retirement retreat centre at Linsfort outside Buncrana. The average age of the Loreto sisters in Ireland is now about 75 years - a trend replicated among the Sisters of Mercy and other religious orders.

The Sisters of Mercy convent in Buncrana.

A spokesperson for the order told Inishowen News: "The matter is being handled internally and there are no further updates at this time." The existing Scoil Mhuire secondary school is the product of the Mercy sisters' educational vocation in Buncrana. The school lies just several metres from the main school building. Building of Scoil Mhuire began in 1970 after several attempts to get grants failed. Finally, the Department of Education awarded a 65% building grant. The first pupils started at the school in September 1973. The current principal, Liam Rainey, became the first lay principal in 1998 after the long-standing principalship of Sr Patrick who died in 1993 and was succeeded for five years by Sr Helena.

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