A Journey Back to Our Roots

Nano Nagle, foundress of the Sisters of the Presentation, followed her call to educate Irish Catholic youth who were forbidden to learn how to read and write under the penal laws in the 1700s. In 1875, four brave women traveled from Mooncoin, Ireland, across the Atlantic, to further Nano’s dreams by educating Catholic youth in the Midwest. To celebrate 150 years of Presentation heritage, a pilgrimage to the Emerald Isle from June 15-25 became a reality.

There was much excitement and anticipation in the air as 33 Presentation pilgrims gathered at Mount Loretto with sisters, associates and family. Surrounded with love and support, each pilgrim was presented with a journal, a prayer partner, a blessing and assurances of many prayers for a safe and meaningful pilgrimage to the past.

As the pilgrims explored the beauty and depth of Ireland’s spiritual heritage, they were reminded that Nano’s legacy is not just history, it is a living call that continues to shape lives and bring hope to Ireland and around the world.

A highlight of the trip was visiting the small village of Mooncoin which included touring the church and cemetery where several Presentation Sisters are buried. It is here where Bishop John Hennessy suggested to Mother Vincent Hennessy that the youth of Irish immigrants in his diocese of Dubuque needed Presentation Sisters. From this gentle request came the beginning of Presentation ministries in Iowa and beyond.

The Nano Nagle Place and Museum (winner of the 2022 Council of Europe Museum Prize) is a tribute to cherished memories of Nano in Ireland. In the convent which Nano built and worked were sacred objects of Nano, lovingly preserved behind glass, including her rosary and prayer book. Her writing desk and the clock from her childhood are proudly displayed in her parlor. The museum depicts the story of Nano’s sacrificial life and her vast influence upon the Irish people.

Associate Becky Searcy shares, “The highlight for me was touring Nano Nagle Place and Museum. The sisters greeted
us with warm Irish hospitality with tea and scones. We ended with a beautiful prayer service with the Presentation Sisters living there, filled with prayer and music brought from Dubuque. We each had the opportunity to touch Nano’s tomb and receive blessing and healing.”

The pilgrimage continued with a trip to Ballygriffin, where Nano was born and grew up. Again the pilgrims were warmly welcomed with tea and scones before learning more about Nano from Presentation Sister Anne Lyons, the postulator for Nano’s cause for canonization. Through her ministry of gathering facts for this cause, Nano was declared ‘venerable’ in 2013 by Pope Francis.

There was time to quietly walk in Nano’s footsteps – literally. The peacefulness of the Nagle Mountains, the Blackwater River and the hills where Nano played and prayed was deeply moving. The next stop was the church where Nano was baptized. The baptismal font was prominently displayed in a side chapel with facts about Nano.

The next morning some pilgrims joined Presentation Sister Bride Given for a walking tour beginning at St. Finbarr’s Church where Nano once prayed and walked to her schools. The afternoon brought the group to Cobh Harbor, where Mother Vincent and her three traveling companions left Ireland for their new ministry in Dubuque.

After enjoying sunshine for the first half of the trip, the next morning changed as associate Deb McClimon notes, “We experienced the Ireland weather I was prepared for – rain, mist and wind. We stood at the westernmost point of Ireland on the longest day of the year!”

In the afternoon, a visit to the Díseart Institute of Irish Culture and Spirituality, included the Nano Nagle Room with four murals depicting Nano’s life and mission.
Sunday morning began with Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral, next to St. Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School where Nano’s ministry continues.

As the journey deepened, so too did the pilgrims’ connection to Nano and her legacy. Associate Laurie Noel reflects, “These days have been truly awakening – walking in Nano’s footsteps, living Nano’s life. Grateful beyond words for this experience and the incredible group I have shared it with. As we travel these winding lanes, I carry Nano’s words with me: ‘If I could be of service in saving souls in any part of the globe, I would gladly do all in my power.’”

While the heart of the pilgrimage honored Nano and Presentation heritage, the journey also included visits to sacred and cultural sites that offered a deeper understanding of Ireland’s rich spiritual heritage. Pilgrims paused in reflection at the Papal Cross in Dublin’s Phoenix Park, wandered the ancient monastic grounds of Glendalough and stood in awe at the Rock of Cashel, where St. Patrick baptized Ireland’s first Christian king. They took in the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, visited St. Brigid’s Well and Glenstal Abbey, explored the misty Killarney National Park to Ross Castle and walked among the ruins of Clonmacnoise. These experiences, steeped in the faith and story of Ireland itself, beautifully complemented the Presentation journey and deepened the pilgrims’ sense of connection to the land that shaped Nano’s legacy.

Sister Annette Kestel expresses, “We are grateful for all we have seen and experienced, for the beauty we have met, for the new places we have visited, especially those sacred to Nano and Dubuque Presentation people. We are particularly grateful for Mother Vincent Hennessy, Kate Reide, Alice Howley and Ellen Ahern and their courageous response to God’s call to serve the poor and uneducated. May a portion of their spirit always enflame our hearts and urge us one pace beyond comfort and safety.”