Currynunhailed as ‘ amotherlike noother’
Sr Bernadette’s past pupils in Zambia pay tribute to her teaching skills
SR Mary Bernadette Collins
1923 - 2016 SR. Mary Bernadette Collins who died on 20th October 2016 spent a lifetime dedicated to teaching and helping others. For over 34 years she devoted her life as a Sister of Charity to educating generations of young people in Zambia.
Mary Collins was born in Carrowilkeen, Curry, Co. Sligo on 6th November 1923 to Thomas and Bridget Collins. Educated at Curry Girls National School, she won a scholarship to study at the convent of the St. Louis Sisters in Kiltimagh.
She entered the Sisters of Charity on 1st February, 1943 and was professed ( Mary Bernadette) on 22nd August 1945.
She trained as a Primary Teacher in Carysfort from 19461948, when she commenced teaching at Stanhope Street Convent in Dublin.
In her early years she taught in a number of Convents in Dublin before moving west in 1951 to teach at the Sisters of Charity School in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon where she remained until 1959.
Returning to Milltown, Dublin that same year, she commenced her studies at UCD and graduated in 1962 with a BA in Irish, French and Latin. Having obtained her Higher Diploma in Education while teaching in Kings Inns Street in 1962/ 1963, she then spent another year in Ballaghaderreen.
In 1964, aged 41 years, she embarked on her great adventure to Zambia where she worked for 18 years in Roma Girls’ Secondary School. A past- pupil recalled that “Sr. Bernadette taught Maths and Religion and during her time as Principal of Roma Girls School, everything was in place and working well.”
“I will always cherish her contribution to Mother Zambia through the education of the girls, who are now holding positions of power at all levels of government and also in the private sector, in order to improve the lives of our people and communities.”
Another student wrote: “Throughout my five years at Roma Girls, you disciplined me, taught me the values of life, nurtured me and most of all, loved me like your own daughter. You were a mother like no other.”
It was noted that none of her Zambian students ever failed English or Maths.
In 1982 she returned to Ireland for a Sabbatical year in Stanhope Street and on return- ing to Zambia, she worked in Kabwe, teaching and carrying out administrative work. In 1992 she moved to Chikuni where she worked until 1998.
In December that year she came back to Stanhope Street Convent which, even though she did not know it at the time, would be her last ministry. ‘ Retirement’ was not a word in her vocabulary and so she immediately set to work, doing the accounts, teaching and mentoring students.
In particular she loved helping foreign students with their English.
On 17th May 2012 she retired to Loyola in Merrion Road where she was much loved and cared for by her nurses and carers for the remainder of her life.
She was always interested in people, had a fantastic memory and was a wealth of knowledge, characteristics which were evidenced when the Collins Clann gathered in Mullingar some years ago to trace their roots.
An Irishwoman, true and true, she possessed very strong political views and care was needed when entering that arena in her presence.
She was a very spiritual person in the true sense of the word.
Quiet and unassuming, she had a great ability to reach out to people and had the capacity to uplift and act as an enabler for them. “A gentle lady, loving and concerned with the learner and their needs.”
It was fitting that the Zambian National Anthem was sung as her remains were leaving the Convent Chapel in Merrion Road for her burial in Donnybrook. And it was remarkable that this took place on Zambia’s Independence Day… a country which she cherished and spent most of her working life.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h- anam dílis.