Sister Berchmans (Bridie Murphy)

Bridie Murphy grew up in Church Street, Abbeyfeale in West Limerick. She has very happy memories of the people and places in the town, and her own days in the local school, after which she joined the Presentation Sisters on September 7 1935, at Presentation Convent in Turners Cross, where she was to spend the rest of her life. She speaks about the Order, and the rules and regulations set down for the nuns. In 1939, she was afforded the opportunity to pursue a teaching career and studied at University College Cork (UCC). It is interesting to hear her speak about how protected the nuns were in those days. In 1969 she won a scholarship, which gave her the opportunity to go to Rome. She describes the difficulties she encountered during her time in trying to get permission from the Reverend Mother to further her teaching career. Sr Berchman has many anecdotes and stories about the years she spent in South Presentation Convent. She ended the recording by singing a lovely song which she learned from her brother Tim, who was a priest in Rome.