Jul 24 2011
Sister Mary Conzalvo
Carol McGuirk, Catherine Coffey and Elizabeth Byrne from Lower Killala Road recently paid a visit to their former teacher Sister Mary Consalvo from Saint Catherine’s National School, Cabra West, Dublin. Contact was made with the residential care home situated in the grounds of the convent school in Cabra West. Sister Consalvo was of course delighted at the prospect of meeting some of her former pupils whom she hadn’t seen since they left school in the 1960s. Sister Consalvo’s carer told the girls that Sister Consalvo was up and about since early that morning in anticipation of the visit. Although frail and confined to a wheelchair and now in her 90s she still has a very active mind and easily remembered the girls from their schooldays. Sister Consalvo was keen to know all about each of their lives since leaving school and all about their families.
The girls recall that as a teacher Sister Consalvo was very much ahead of her time with her teaching methods and the variety of subjects that she covered. When this was mentioned to Sister Consalvo she said that as a teacher she always wanted to broaden the minds of her pupils beyond the gates of the school and encourage them to explore the greater world. Her three visitors are very appreciative of the great work that Sister Consalvo did with them as young girls and for the personal interest that she took in each of them, giving them the encouragement to reach beyond their potential. After a cup of tea the three visitors left Sister Consalvo with a promise to return again. Thank you girls for making this visit so special for a ‘Very Special Lady’.