Orders sacred site to become 10m centre of spirituality

Saturday, February 22, 2014

A building that once housed the 18th century South Presentation Convent and School is to be transformed into a 10m visitor centre and a sacred space for contemplation in the heart of Cork City.

The global order hope their plans for the 3.75 acre sacred site, which includes their founder, Nano Nagles grave and ample gardens, will ensure it too becomes a must-see on the Cork City Historic Tourist Trail.

Last year, Pope Francis announced that Nano Nagle was a woman of heroic virtue and declared her to be venerable, placing her on the second of the four steps to Sainthood.

Nano Nagle founded the Presentation Sisters order at Douglas Street on Christmas Eve in 1775 in response to the dire poverty and lack of education that she saw around her. Its ethos inspired the establishment of several other religious orders in Ireland, including the Presentation Brothers and the Christian Brothers.

The new complex is to be called Nano Nagle Place and is seeking to preserve the heritage, ethos and philosophy of Nano Nagle. It will include a heritage centre, an archive building and a garden coffee shop alongside Nano Nagles tomb. The project is being fully funded by the order.

Minister for Arts and Heritage Jimmy Deenihan attended yesterdays launch on Douglas St and spoke warmly of the Presentation Sisters and their unselfish contribution to this country.

Minister Deenihan it was wonderful to see new life being breathed into this old building and that he was firmly of the belief that one of the reasons the Irish were so welcome around the world was because of the work of religious orders.

He was confident that Nano Nagle Place would become an international tourist attraction, which would preserve and promote both the story of Nano Nagle and the history of the Presentation Sisters,, he said.

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Orders sacred site to become 10m centre of spirituality