The decision by Catherine McAuley to establish a foundation in Birr, Co. Offaly, was among the most challenging she faced. The Birr Catholic community had been split by a schism for nearly two decades. Catherine decided that Sr. M. Aloysius Scott would be the most capable of navigating the difficult circumstances surrounding the establishment of a Convent of Mercy in 1841. The numbers in the Birr community increased quickly, and the Sisters played a crucial role in healing the division. They also established schools and other works of mercy to assist the poor and provide a path out of poverty.

Elizabeth Scott was born in Kilkenny to Barnaby and Elizabeth Scott. She entered Baggot Street in 1835 and was professed in 1837. In 1841, she went to Birr as a young professed sister.

She was well-educated, a gifted musician, and an able manager.

Mother M. Aloysius Scott had only a few years between her arrival in Birr (1841) and her death in 1844. However, she was an excellent manager and, like Catherine, worked quickly to address the needs of the poor and the division that existed in the Catholic community of the town. The Sisters spent time visiting the people of Birr and helped many find their way out of the schism in which they had become embroiled. An initial focus for the community was on education.

Aloysius suffered from significant health issues throughout her brief religious life.

In spite of this, she worked hard and quickly established the new foundation on a firm footing. The Sisters encountered in Birr a level of poverty far beyond what they had expected to find, but Mother Aloysius responded very quickly, establishing ministries that would provide immediate help and offer a way out of poverty.

Birr was to become a very successful foundation that undertook a wide range of the works of Mercy. The Sisters established mercy ministries that are still in operation in Birr today.

“Reflection On The 185th Anniversary Of The Coming Of the Sisters of Mercy to Birr”, Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, Published 03/06/2016, Last modified 21/03/2019. Reflection On The 175th Anniversary Of The Coming Of The Sisters Of Mercy To Birr | Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy. Accessed 1 May 2024.