When Tom and May Treacy began their married life together in rural Kilkenny in the early 1940s little could they have expected to one day be receiving air-mail letters from destinations as far flung as Zambia, Los Angeles and the legendary Timbuktu! But the Treacy family of Ballyduff includes three sisters who would become world travellers, dedicated, hard-working religious sisters whose calling led them to lives of adventure they couldn’t have imagined on an Irish farm! In a family of six boys and six girls, at one stage all six sisters were in different countries around the world! (While the boys all stayed in Ireland!) Not only have they been to exotic sounding places, but the three sisters - Margaret, Maeve and Joan, will this weekend be back in Kilkenny to celebrate their religious jubilees. It is 60 years since they entered religious life. A grand, family gathering will be held in Thomastown and the city this weekend. One after the other, Margaret, Maeve and Joan left Kilkenny to join the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary. In the mid 1950s they were encouraged into religious life by a visit from Mother Stanislaus, herself a Sister of the Institute of the Sacred Heart of Mary, who had been tasked with finding girls from Irish families who might want to become a nun. The order was well known in South Kilkenny, known as the ‘Ferrybank nuns’ because of the day and boarding school for girls they ran there. Mother Stanislaus met Margaret, Maeve and Joan on her visit. As the Treacy family history says: “Margaret was ‘ready’, Maeve was nearly ready, and Joan was still a bit young, and could wait and see.” Young as they were they ‘heard the call’ and were eager to respond. Pat and May were not so sure, but guidance from Fr Rice, and knowledge that a Kilkenny woman had been the head of the order until 1940, reassured them. “That is how it all began. God chose Mother Stanislaus who chose our family, and we girls chose to answer the call, little by little, one after the other,” they sayplaceholder image
When Tom and May Treacy began their married life together in rural Kilkenny in the early 1940s little could they have expected to one day be receiving air-mail letters from destinations as far flung as Zambia, Los Angeles and the legendary Timbuktu! But the Treacy family of Ballyduff includes three sisters who would become world travellers, dedicated, hard-working religious sisters whose calling led them to lives of adventure they couldn’t have imagined on an Irish farm! In a family of six boys and six girls, at one stage all six sisters were in different countries around the world! (While the boys all stayed in Ireland!) Not only have they been to exotic sounding places, but the three sisters - Margaret, Maeve and Joan, will this weekend be back in Kilkenny to celebrate their religious jubilees. It is 60 years since they entered religious life. A grand, family gathering will be held in Thomastown and the city this weekend. One after the other, Margaret, Maeve and Joan left Kilkenny to join the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary. In the mid 1950s they were encouraged into religious life by a visit from Mother Stanislaus, herself a Sister of the Institute of the Sacred Heart of Mary, who had been tasked with finding girls from Irish families who might want to become a nun. The order was well known in South Kilkenny, known as the ‘Ferrybank nuns’ because of the day and boarding school for girls they ran there. Mother Stanislaus met Margaret, Maeve and Joan on her visit. As the Treacy family history says: “Margaret was ‘ready’, Maeve was nearly ready, and Joan was still a bit young, and could wait and see.” Young as they were they ‘heard the call’ and were eager to respond. Pat and May were not so sure, but guidance from Fr Rice, and knowledge that a Kilkenny woman had been the head of the order until 1940, reassured them. “That is how it all began. God chose Mother Stanislaus who chose our family, and we girls chose to answer the call, little by little, one after the other,” they say

From Thomastown to Timbuktu - Treacy sisters’ religious calling

Sian Moloughney
By Sian Moloughney

Reporter

Published 23rd Jun 2023, 13:35 GMT

Kilkenny nuns celebrate jubilee

MargaretMargaret was born on July 19, 1942, and joined the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) in 1959 in Tarrytown, New York. She celebrated her final profession in 1966. The first 13 years of her religious life were spent teaching in schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn.In 1972 she went to Rome where she spent nine years teaching at the Marymount International School. In 1981 she was made principal of the Good Shepherd school in St Louis, Missouri, where she lived for 12 years before her next adventure.This came along in 1995 when Margaret was posted to Zimbabwe, with a few years in Zambia when, as an educator, she found herself on the wrong side of President Robert Mugabe!When she finally returned to New York, in March 2020, and settled into semi-retirement, Margaret completed the circle that saw her begin her religious life in the state.

1.

MargaretMargaret was born on July 19, 1942, and joined the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) in 1959 in Tarrytown, New York. She celebrated her final profession in 1966. The first 13 years of her religious life were spent teaching in schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn.In 1972 she went to Rome where she spent nine years teaching at the Marymount International School. In 1981 she was made principal of the Good Shepherd school in St Louis, Missouri, where she lived for 12 years before her next adventure.This came along in 1995 when Margaret was posted to Zimbabwe, with a few years in Zambia when, as an educator, she found herself on the wrong side of President Robert Mugabe!When she finally returned to New York, in March 2020, and settled into semi-retirement, Margaret completed the circle that saw her begin her religious life in the state.

MaeveMaeve was born on June 24, 1943, and will celebrate both her birthday and jubilee this Saturday.Having completed secondary school, Maeve entered the Convent of the Religious Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) in Beziers, France. When she made her final profession in 1967 she was joined by several family members, including Margaret who travelled from New York for the special occasion. After teaching for three years in Cambrai, in Northern France, Maeve was sent to the exotically named Timbuktu, in Mali, West Africa, to start a new mission. With the exception of three years studying in Paris, Mali was her home until 1986, teaching in a primary school and adapting to the life and customs of the Senoufo people. Her mother’s final illness brought Maeve home in 1986 and a new era in France. She worked in pastoral ministry in secondary schools and in administration for the order.On her ‘retirement’ Maeve moved to Zambia where she worked for the order for seven years, finally returning to Ireland in 2020.

2.

MaeveMaeve was born on June 24, 1943, and will celebrate both her birthday and jubilee this Saturday.Having completed secondary school, Maeve entered the Convent of the Religious Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) in Beziers, France. When she made her final profession in 1967 she was joined by several family members, including Margaret who travelled from New York for the special occasion. After teaching for three years in Cambrai, in Northern France, Maeve was sent to the exotically named Timbuktu, in Mali, West Africa, to start a new mission. With the exception of three years studying in Paris, Mali was her home until 1986, teaching in a primary school and adapting to the life and customs of the Senoufo people. Her mother’s final illness brought Maeve home in 1986 and a new era in France. She worked in pastoral ministry in secondary schools and in administration for the order.On her ‘retirement’ Maeve moved to Zambia where she worked for the order for seven years, finally returning to Ireland in 2020.

JoanJoan was born on May 23, 1944, and joined RSHM in New York in 1961. She made her final profession in 1968. Her first years as a religious sister were spent studying at Marymount College, in Tarrytown, New York. It was to her surprise that she was given her mission to Los Angeles, California, by her Provincial Superior, in 1964. With the exception of a few years in Rome, studying and helping at the RSHM Generalate, Joan has made her home and religious life in various parts of California ever since. Over the years her ministries saw her teaching in LA and Santa Barbara, working in adult formation in parishes and trusteeships of various educational boards. Joan has been councillor and Provincial Superior for her Province, which included California and Mexico.She has undertaken many volunteer activities, including working with children in three different reservations, on programmes for women in domestic violence situations and with those suffering with HIV and AIDS.

3.

JoanJoan was born on May 23, 1944, and joined RSHM in New York in 1961. She made her final profession in 1968. Her first years as a religious sister were spent studying at Marymount College, in Tarrytown, New York. It was to her surprise that she was given her mission to Los Angeles, California, by her Provincial Superior, in 1964. With the exception of a few years in Rome, studying and helping at the RSHM Generalate, Joan has made her home and religious life in various parts of California ever since. Over the years her ministries saw her teaching in LA and Santa Barbara, working in adult formation in parishes and trusteeships of various educational boards. Joan has been councillor and Provincial Superior for her Province, which included California and Mexico.She has undertaken many volunteer activities, including working with children in three different reservations, on programmes for women in domestic violence situations and with those suffering with HIV and AIDS.

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