Poor Clare nuns launch fundraising appeal

THE Poor Clare Sisters, an enclosed order of contemplative nuns in Galway city, have launched a fundraising appeal to raise money to renovate their monastery at Nun’s Island.The Poor Clares, who have been in the city since 1642 and who are synonymous with Galway,are hoping to raise €700,000 to renovate the Extern Convent which is used as the main greeting and contact point between the Sisters and the public.The main convent at Nun’s Island was built in 1825, with the Extern Convent added 70 years later in 1895, and is a protected structure.The Sisters have recently been granted planning permission to locate the entire reception area in the Extern part of the monastery and it will require the existing front porch to be extended either side of themonastery.Speaking to the Galway City Tribune through the grille at the convent last week, Mother Abbess, Sr. Collette, explained that the Extern convent was in need of repair for years but they decided to focus on renovating the main convent in the early 2000s, which was in more urgent need of repair at the time.