Brigid Mary McGuinness

Deceased Sisters

Brigid Mary McGuinness - Ireland
22/02/1947 - 09/06/2017

It was in the Springtime of 1947 when the country was in the grip of a huge snowstorm that Brigid Mary was born on 22^nd February. Her parents Edward and Winifred McGuinness lived at Frenchford, Cloonacool, Co. Sligo. She had one brother, Thomas Martin. They grew up together and remained very close all down the years. Thomas Martin married Anne and they were blessed with a family of four, Barry, Paul, Enda and Maeve. These children were very dear to Brigid Mary and as they grew up she was always close to them. In the family they always counted seven because a place was always kept for Brigid Mary.

The McGuinness Home was situated at a place called Frenchford. This place was named after the French Army which landed in Ireland under General Humbert in 1798. A section of this army camped down there before continuing their march to Collooney where they joined up with the main body of the troops. From there they were routed to Longford where the story ends. Many stories and legends from Ancient Ireland are connected with this place. As a child Brigid Mary would listen to the river as it cascaded from on high and gurgled past the house. She always admired the magnificent sunset in the West as the sinking sun stole its way to rest behind the Ox Mountains.

Brigid Mary had an aunt who was a Marist Sister. Her name was Sister Athanasius. She was well known throughout the Congregation. She taught in Ireland and England and later moved on to Fiji. At a young age she was taken ill with cancer. She suffered greatly and with great patience. The American Army, stationed in Fiji during World War II, transported her to New Zealand. It was there she was cared for until she died. The postman at home in Ireland delivered the letter to her mother which brought the sad news of her death. Also there was Father McGuinness who was a grand uncle. He was ordained in Carlow in Ireland and spent his missionary life in New Zealand. Last year, Thomas Martin and Anne travelled to Australia and New Zealand where they visited the graves of Father McGuinness and Sister Athanasius.

Brigid Mary received her primary education in Cloonacool National School. Having secured a county scholarship she continued her secondary education at Marist Convent, Tubbercurry. After her Leaving Certificate Examination 1965 she entered the Marist Novitiate, Carrick-on-Shannon. Edward and Winifred McGuinness were sad to part with her but they were people of great faith who gave their daughter to God.

She was professed in August 1967 and spent the following year in Sundrive Road, which was a year of continuing formation. Under the Free Education Scheme numbers in our schools had increased so she was called upon to help out in Tubbercurry 1968-1969. From 1969-1973 she attended University College Dublin. She was awarded her degree in 1972 followed by the Higher Diploma in Education 1973.

She then took her place on the teaching staff of the Secondary School in Tubbercurry where she worked as a teacher and later as principal until 2006. The Decree of the Second Vatican Council (Perfectae Caritatis) set out the norms for the adaptation and renewal of the life and discipline of Religious Orders. New formation courses were established to implement this renewal. It was at this time that Congregational Leaders in Ireland initiated the Formation Course at Loreto House, Dublin. In 1988/89 Sister Brigid Mary was one of the first sisters in the Unit to complete this course. It gave added zest to her enthusiasm. During this time , 1993, she suffered a setback in her health and underwent surgery in Garden Hill Nursing Home. The surgery was followed by treatment, after which she made a good recovery. She was able to resume her work – full time. Indeed, she followed extra courses in USA which qualified her as Guidance Counsellor. She loved this work. When Saint Attracta’s New Community School was opened she took her place as counsellor and was instrumental in building up this programme in the new school.

In 2006 Sister Brigid Mary accepted a very different Ministry – Leadership of the Unit of Ireland. This was a time of great upheaval and turmoil in the Irish Church and for religious in particular. The scandal of clerical abuse, abuse in institutions run by religious, the Magdalen Laundries scandal had undermined, for many people, the respect Irish people had for the Church. Religious Sisters were targeted by a hostile government as key agents in these scandals, with the result that meeting after meeting took place among religious leaders to deal with government demands for financial compensation for victims. Religious property was demanded and a redress scheme seemed to demand ever increasing resources. Sister Brigid Mary was suddenly introduced to the centre of the controversy and her time was largely consumed by it. Her six years of leadership took its toll on her health as was evident to the sisters. Many changes developed within the Unit as declining numbers needed house closures. During all this time Sister Brigid Mary remained cheerful and thoughtful for all.

In 2012 came another move – this time away from responsibility. She joined the Bray community for a sabbatical year. She loved walking by the sea and reading and generally enjoying freedom from responsibility. However, she began to take part in Parish life - as a Minister of the Eucharist to the very large new nursing home near to our house. She also helped at activities in the home and was loved by staff and residents there. In addition she became a volunteer for Ruhama, an organisation for the rehabilitation of trafficked women. Her educational work there was greatly valued.

The final ministry she undertook was dear to her heart – back in the educational area – as Chairperson of the Board of Management of Sundrive Road Primary School. During this time she kept in touch with past-pupils in Tubbercurry and it was after a Reunion there – which she greatly enjoyed – that she became ill. For a couple of days she thought she had caught a bug but a sudden twist to the illness caused her very sudden death on June 9^th 2017, to the great shock and grief of all the Sisters, family and parishioners.

Her reposing in the new Parish Centre was an occasion of gathering, while her Requiem Mass in Saint Fergal’s Church was a hugely attended celebration of her life at which several priests assisted. Father Larry Behan spoke of what she was to all who knew her.

As her final resting place would be in Tubbercurry her mortal remains were taken to her beloved Alma Mater where she was waked and celebrated. The final Requiem Mass united all who knew and loved her – family, Sisters, teachers, past pupils, parishioners – presided over by Bishop Kelly. She was finally laid to rest in the Convent Cemetery.

Ar Lámh Dheis Dé agus faoi Bhrat na Maighdine Muire go raibh a hanam dílis.

Deceased Sisters

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