Sr Consilio remembered at school memorial Mass
Last Thursday staff and students of Presentation Secondary School Mitchelstown, both past and present, as well as members of the wider community of Mitchelstown, gathered for a memorial Mass in honour of their past principal Sr Consilio Carroll.
Sr Consilio, or ‘Mother Con’, was a well- regarded and respected member of the community and staff. Born in 1924, she was originally from Bohernamona Road in Thurles. She studied Irish, Religion and Latin in UCC and worked in the Civil Service in Dublin in her early years, but ultimately entered the Presentation Convent in Mitchelstown on 8th January, 1950.
Beginning her teaching career in Mitchelstown in the mid-1950s, Sr Consilio was the first principal of Presentation Secondary School, taking up the post in 1969.
She served in that role until 1989, and post-retirement, continued to teach Irish and Religion to first year students, as well as promoting the Pioneer Association.
Within the convent, Sr Consilio trained Postulants (those who were in their first six months of the convent) as well as Junior Professed Nuns, and was also in charge of the Novitiate in the early years. This is where she was given the name ‘Mother Consilio’.
When the convent closed its doors on 2nd December 2002, she moved to Presentation Convent Fermoy with the other Sisters. After that move, she returned home to Thurles to take care of her sister Nellie until her death; Sr Consilio oversaw the sale of the farm, which was bought by her good friends and neighbours, Ned and Anne Dwane.
Living in Strawhall Nursing Home in her 90s, she ended her days at the age of 99 in Conna after the closure of Strawhall, and is predeceased by her sister Nellie and her brother Michael. May she rest in peace.