A small group of nuns in Mullingar, County Westmeath, will soon get their own convent, forty years after the community was set up. The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, who run St Francis’s Hospital, a private clinic, and St Clair's Nursing Home at Ballinderry, are to build a new convent over the next year at a cost of €1m.
The building will house the seven Franciscan Missionary nuns living in Mullingar and accommodate visitors, including other members of the order, and means the sisters will finally have separate accommodation to the medical centre, which has expanded and modernised substantially since it was set up in 1968.
St Francis’s Hospital, which promotes itself as offering patients medical care in a serene environment and a holistic approach to care, was originally established as the Sacred Heart Nursing Home.
The home developed into a hospital and in 1998 became known as the St. Francis Private Hospital.
The complex now has 60 acute beds, 43 nursing home beds, and four theatres, and offers endoscopy, Dexa scanning, radiology, physiotherapy and dietetics services.
Two years ago, a new 16-unit consulting clinic was developed in a joint venture between the Franciscans and consultants working at the clinic.
The new 624m2 convent will comprise reception rooms, a kitchen, dining room, utility areas, an office and an oratory as well as ten en-suite bedrooms.
Community spokesperson Sr Cecilia said she was delighted the plans for the convent are progressing.
"Because we live in the hospital at the minute sometimes we feel that there is no break from the work," she said.
"But still we are very happy that we can stay close to the hospital and still have own privacy."
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