The Poor Clares sisters will mark their return to their newly refurbished extern convent this weekend with a public celebration.
The event, which is open to everyone, is an opportunity to thank Galway people and all those who made the refurbishment possible.
The doors of the extern building will open from 2pm to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday to allow people drop by and view the work that has been done. There will also be an opportunity to meet the sisters.
The opening of the building will be marked by a special blessing at 3pm on Sunday by the Bishop of Galway, Dr Martin Drennan. A major part of the fundraising initiative has been the “Buy a brick” campaign and the “Buy a brick” grand draw will take place at 3pm on Saturday. Refreshments will be available at a specially erected tent located at the front of the convent. There will be no extra parking on the grounds of the monastery on the day due to the location of the tent.
“We are absolutely delighted with the way the renovations have turned out,” says Sr Colette. “We moved in the week before Christmas so you can imagine it has been a bit chaotic. It was wonderful to be back in before Christmas especially before this cold spell descended on Galway. We had been operating in a prefab which served as a temporary office for meeting members of the public for the last seven months.”
She says the nuns are indebted to the people who gave so generously to their fundraising drive.
“We just know that the work could not have been done were it not for the people of Galway and beyond who supported us so generously in all the fundraising activities that were organised. We are looking forward to this weekend and to meeting everyone so that we can say thank you.”
Some work still remains to be done to the outside of the building but the extern area of the monastery is now fully operational.
