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MIA Board Meeting takes place in Carlow
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Our February 2026 Board Meeting took place on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th of February in Carlow Town, Ireland.
As our building in Baggot Street is closed for Essential Works, it was decided that the Board would meet in Carlow College (St Patrick's). We received a warm welcome from the President of the College, Fr Conn Ó Maoldhomhnaigh, and his team.
Saturday morning began with Mass with the Sisters of Mercy in St Leo's Convent - founded from Baggot Street on 11 April 1837 (the Feast of St Leo). The Mass was concelebrated by Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare and Leighlin, assisted by Monsignor Brendan Byrne and Fr John Fitzpatrick.
In his words at the beginning of the Mass, Bishop Nulty said, "It's important that you are here, because being here allows you to get in touch with the roots of Catherine McAuley. St Leo's Convent was the first house actually planned and built for a Convent of Mercy. Solid, strongly built and purposeful, not just the building, but the women who have comprised the community of St Leo's since the earliest days."
Following the Mass, the Board Members shared a good cup of tea with the Sisters, now a community of six.
Following that, Sr Sheila Carney, Chair of the MIA Board, led a formation session on the history of St Leo's. Sheila went on to relay the story of how Frances Ward and six companions set out from Carlow on 4th November 1843 to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From that foundation in the USA the Sisters went on to establish convents, schools and hospitals across the USA. Their Liberal Arts college founded in 1929 became Carlow University in 2004. A plaque outside the convent pays tribute to the Carlow seven as they are fondly remembered.
The photos below show some of the highlights from our days in Carlow.
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