Memories - 1993: Mother Teresa to stay in Moyross

Mother Teresa to stay in Moyross

MOTHER Teresa of Calcutta will stay in Moyross during her visit to Limerick, a friend of hers in the city has confirmed.

She will spend the nights of Thursday, June 3, and Friday, June 4, in a house in Moyross owned by St Mary’s Convent.

Jim O’Connor, who worked with Mother Teresa for a number of years in Calcutta, and who was instrumental in getting her to include the city on her tour of Ireland next month, said she wanted to stay among the poor, who were her first love.

Mr O’Connor has cancer, and one of the reasons for her stop in Limerick is to see him. Liam Hayes, a friend of his, said that she is also due to visit Milford Hospice, and will rest there for a few hours on Friday afternoon.

He was highly critical of the itinerary organised for Mother Teresa by visit co-ordinator Nora Bennis, pointing out that there will be little opportunity for the public to see the woman many regard as a living saint.

“Limerick is a city of churches. We have so many beautiful churches, yet mass is being celebrated for Mother Teresa in the Limerick Inn. The poor are being excluded. There should have been a concelebrated mass with both bishops, and everyone could have seen her,” said Mr Hayes.

School protest meeting

OVER 200 angry parents will meet tonight to demand secondary school places for their children.

The meeting follows news that 120 boys and 38 girls have no secondary school to go to in September, following the results of the controversial common entrance exam.

One boy from Moyross has been rejected by the city’s 15 secondary schools for the second year running. The boy could find no school to take him in, and must now watch his younger sister go on to second level while he wastes another year in limbo.

Furious city councillor John Ryan said this morning that it was disgraceful that the problem had cropped up for the third year running.

He accused the Association of Principals and Vice-Principals of delaying the results of the exams so that they would be on holidays when the controversy erupted.

Tim O’Driscoll, the parents representative on the board of management of Corpus Christi primary school, was also incensed.

“We haven’t got the final picture, but 15 or 16 of our children haven’t been offered any secondary school place at all.

“The Minister for Education is visiting Limerick on Friday, and the message will be brought home to her clearly. The constitution says all children must be cherished equally. But our children are not being cherished equally.” He said the public outcry over the lack of school places would be much stronger.