By John Fitzgerald
Callan folk have mixed feelings of sadness and hope on seeing that the historic former Convent of Mercy is up for sale. Auctioneers P F Quirke & Co Ltd. Have brought it to market and the asking price is €700000.
Since it opened in 1881, the convent had provided a top class education to pupils from the town and district and for a long period to boarders from further afield.
Locals, though sad to see the nuns take their leave, hope that the magnificent convent complex will retain its status as an architectural gem. The building encompasses a beautifully designed chapel and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage lists the convent as a structure of “regional importance.”
In addition to their educational role the Sisters of Mercy focused on the provision of healthcare and welfare in the early decades of the convent and were hailed for their stabilizing influence in the years following the Callan Schism, a blazing row between a local rebel parish priest and his clerical superiors
Many former boarders of the convent have happy memories of opening windows to let in boyfriends or escaping to meet them outside. They recall the ever-alert Sister Marie-Therese trying to keep tabs on their extracurricular activities. Some stories get better with age and retelling, but the memories are precious, especially for those who owe their success in life to the convent school.
The variety shows at the old concert hall also bring tears of joy and recollection. It was a hub of local culture and drama.
Locals hope the building will somehow retain its historic significance and remain one of the most beloved landmarks of the district, alluding to the success story that has been the restoration and tasteful conversion of another important building, the old Callan Workhouse. Despite the ravages of time and progress, it has managed to retain much of its original form, facades, and cultural ambience, in addition to hosting numerous community and arts related projects.
Already, community groups are taking an interest in the future of the Convent, with a view to its heritage value
Ultimately, though, its future will be up to the buyers…
