Ireland, at that time was in a state of turmoil, there were three struggles which had to be addressed in some ways by the people. The first was the struggle of the Church for its freedom, the second was the struggle of the Parliament for its independence, and the third was the struggle of the thousands of landless people to regain their propriatorial rights.

How was Daniel Delaney to begin to change anything in the ravaged lives of these people? How would he go about transforming some of the pieces in this tiny deprived and suffering part of the world? What could he offer as an anti-dote to the consuming violence?

These were the sorts of key questions Daniel was faced with as he tried to manage the people in his Parish of Tullow. Living under the penal laws for so many years had almost completely demoralised the people. Daniel was convinced that the best way forward was to begin providing an education. He did this by gathering the children on Sundays in the Chapel of Tullow. He taught them music and singing, formed a band, taught them the catechism and how to say their prayers. Soon adults came along wanting to learn, and so Daniel gathered a group of women to help him.

Daniel obviously had an affinity with Brigid, the ancient saint of the fifth century from the town of Kildare. She was a model to emulate, in that she had founded the Monastery at Kildare which became famous as a place for learning, hospitality, service and prayer for everyone in the surrounding districts.

Many early manuscripts suggest that Daniel chose Brigid as the patroness of this early group because he saw himself as "refounding" the Brigidines in the same vein as the Brigidines in Kildare in the fifth century. There are certainly many similarities in the two "beginnings", one of the most significant is the emphasis on education, which indeed has been a feature of the Brigidine ministry up to the present day.

The Brigidines first came from Ireland to Echuca, Victoria in 1886, and have spread to all parts of Victoria since then, as well as to South Australia, Papua New Guinea and Mexico. The Brigidines have formulated a set of Criteria for Ministry which they believe follow in the spirit of both Brigid and Daniel Delany:-

• The Sisters will work out of an educational base.
• The Sisters are committed to ways of working that are collaborative and just.
• In ministry they will adopt a pioneering and creative approach.
• They will work in ways that acknowledge the right of full participation of all baptised persons.
• The Sisters will live and work with those who are poor, who lack options and who are therefore relatively powerless.
• The Sisters will have a particular concern for women’s rights and interests.
• The Sisters chose to develop structures that will enable them to be flexible in our approach to change, personal need and communal involvement.

References:

Murtagh, Thelma Brigidine History Victorian Province: 19^th Century 1886-1593

Melbourne, Brigidine, 1985.

Anonymous Brigidine Story, Echuca 1886-1986.

Malvern, Brigidine, 1986.

Marcella, Sister M. Tribute to 100 years service in Wangaratta.

Sturrock, M. Women of Strength Gentleness, Melbourne. 1995

If further information is required about individual Sisters, the following address is given:

The Archivist

Brigidine Provincialate,

1310 High Street

Malvern Vic 3144

In writing to the Archivist, it would be appropriate that a financial contribution be made for the Archivist’s time and expertise.

Religious Orders or Congregations have released the details on their members. It is understood that the copyright of any material (including the listing of the names of the Sisters) relevant to a particular Order or Congregation in this publication remains with the relevant Order or Congregation.