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Cork, Dublin, Thurles developments. |
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Founding of North Monastery in Cork. In 1810, two men from Cork, Jerome O Connor & John Leonard were sent by Dr. Moylan, Bishop of Cork, to Mt. Sion to become brothers and learn school management, so that a religious community of brothers could set up another school in Cork. By 1812, they returned to Cork and in 1816, a new monastery and school was built on a property on Fair Hill, the North Monastery, or the 'North Mon', as it is colloquially known. The school couldn't start, as there was social chaos in Cork. There was abject poverty and no food. There had been a mini-famine. 25% of the Cork population was wiped out in a typhus epidemic. The school was used as a hospital for the sick. Some brothers died from the disease, while tending the sick. When the epidemic ceased, schooling started. Each of the two floors had one classroom. Each could hold 400 pupils. Founding of Hanover Street in Dublin. At the time of Cork being founded, Dr. Murray, coadjutor to Dr. Troy, Archbishop of Dublin, approached Edmund to start a school. There was at this stage a problem in moving brothers - the rules allowed it, but the Bishop's permission was needed. Dr. Power allowed the loan of two Brothers to the Dublin Diocese and Edmund sent them. In 1812, Hanover Street School in the south docklands was started. The area, site and conditions were deplorable. (Note at the time, the Christian Brothers was only the second religious community to be founded in Dublin, a Dominican Convent in Cabra being the first.) His Grace wished to build another school somewhere else, but he needed to know the Brothers would remain. Dr. Power agreed. A lawyer, Daniel O Connell, visited Hanover Street School often. On Sundays and Holy Days, the Brothers visited Jervis Street Hospital to give Religious Instruction in the male wards. (The Sisters of Charity did this in the female wards.) It has been reported that up to the 1860s in Dublin, the best attendants as practising Catholics and the main recruiting to the Church of Clergy came from Hanover Street School. Founding of Pudding Lane in Thurles. By 1817, a school run by the Brothers was in place in Chapel Lane in Thurles. This was handed over to the Presentation Sisters and the Brothers had established the Pudding Lane Monastery and school by 1819. About this time, Edmund was heavily involved with legal battles to recover a bequest of Dr. Butler of Cashel for the benefit of the poor schools in Thurles, which was in serious dispute. The case was fought in London in 1823 with Daniel O Connell and Lalor Sheil acting as his lawyers for possession of a Thurles property. Edmund won. From all this, Edmund secured for the Presentation Sisters a fine establishment at the original Chapel Lane property by paying for the property and building a new convent and school from the Butler bequest. There was always great co-operation between the founder and the Presentation Sisters.s. |