THE head of a vow-of-poverty order, with which former president Mary McAleese spent regular periods during her 14 years in office, has broken her silence on their unusual guest.
The abbess of the Poor Clares convent in Ennis, Sister Gabriel, said the then-president "came in and lived like one of us" for a short period every year between 1997 and 2011.
Speaking about the visits — which involved washing the dishes and cycles of prayers starting at 5.45am — Sr Gabriel said the former president formed a close bond with the women in the enclosed order.
And she added that Mrs McAleese became "such an inspiration" to the nuns by coming in with "no mobile phone, no nothing, she relinquishes everything".
Sr Gabriel said: "President McAleese would be washing your dishes and you’re embarrassed thinking ‘the president of Ireland is washing my dishes’.
"In a way this was the only place she was Mary McAleese, she wasn’t the president. She could just be Mary and feed her own inner life to recharge herself for her duties."
Mrs McAleese first revealed her link during a public visit to the convent in 2008, when she launched the Poor Clare’s golden jubilee celebrations in Ennis.
The connection began when local solicitor Michael Houlihan introduced her to the order of nuns in 1997.
"On her way out on that visit, she asked ‘could I possibly come back here for a retreat’," said Sr Gabriel.
As a result, during her stays Mrs McAleese would join the nuns in their daily regime of rising for prayer at 5.45am, as part of seven stages of prayers each day.
Speaking about the visits — which involved washing the dishes and cycles of prayers starting at 5.45am — Sr Gabriel said the former president formed a close bond with the women in the enclosed order.
And she added that Mrs McAleese became "such an inspiration" to the nuns by coming in with "no mobile phone, no nothing, she relinquishes everything".
Sr Gabriel said: "President McAleese would be washing your dishes and you’re embarrassed thinking ‘the president of Ireland is washing my dishes’.
"In a way this was the only place she was Mary McAleese, she wasn’t the president. She could just be Mary and feed her own inner life to recharge herself for her duties."
Mrs McAleese first revealed her link during a public visit to the convent in 2008, when she launched the Poor Clare’s golden jubilee celebrations in Ennis.
The connection began when local solicitor Michael Houlihan introduced her to the order of nuns in 1997.
"On her way out on that visit, she asked ‘could I possibly come back here for a retreat’," said Sr Gabriel.
As a result, during her stays Mrs McAleese would join the nuns in their daily regime of rising for prayer at 5.45am, as part of seven stages of prayers each day.
She also observed silence throughout each day, apart from evenings when stories were told.
Today, a photograph of Mrs McAleese hangs on the wall of the main corridor in the monastery and is signed: "Much love to my dearest sisters, Mary."