On returning to the house turn left along the corridor to the Heritage Room. Notice the four panels on your right which set the scene for the Heritage Display. When you enter the Heritage Room you will notice three free standing display cases. The first two of these contain the unique Illuminated Manuscripts of Sister Clare Augustine Moore who was a professional artist and an outstanding educationalist.

The First and Second Registers in the first cabinet contain the details of the first Sisters of Mercy, Dublin. Among these sisters were foundresses who went from Baggot Street to make foundations in all corners of the English speaking world. Many sisters come from these places and are anxious to find the relevant pages relating to their Founding Sisters. To facilitate this we have provided a set of slides at the end of the Heritage Room near the exit sign. A member of staff will turn these on for you. In the wooden case beside the slide projector are further examples of Sister Augustine’s work. Gently pull out each panel in turn and note the tooled gold work on some of them. Experts from the National Gallery told us that these manuscripts are the best example of work based on Medieval Illuminations produced in the 19th century that they have seen.

The third display case, nearest to you now, contains items belonging to or used by our Foundress. The smallest of the three keys is the one given to her for the front door when the house opened in 1827. Catherine’s rosary, her thimble, a lock of her hair and her will are on display.

The books on Homeopathy show how the sisters kept abreast of the times in the work they undertook among the sick poor. At the other side of the case note Catherine’s handwriting in the first copy of Mercy Rule. The corrections were made by Doctor Murray and were incorporated into the final draft on the 23rd January 1837.

The Bronze bust of Catherine as a lay women that you see here is the work of a Meath sculptor Mr. Michael Burke 1994. This interpretation is based on written description of Catherine’s contemporaries. He also sculptured the statue of Catherine, as a religious, near the front entrance.

Through the opening on your right you will see one of the seven original bedroom doors from the second floor, use by Catherine and the early women. Notice the cut out piece at the top right hand section. At 5.25a.m. the caller knocked on the door and the sister opened this and put her candle out to be lit by the caller.

Continue along this passage noting the panels on:

• Links with Carmel
• Mercy in Great Britain
• Going out to teach
• Mercy in New Zealand
• Mercy in Australia
• Troubled Times

In the opening on the left the display depicts a little home in Ireland in the time of the Cholera epidemic when thousands died.

On returning to the Heritage Room note the panels:

• Mercy in the Americas – Mercy Coverlet of Compassion
• Mercy in Newfoundland – “Go to Nova Scotia”

The little cabinet beside the American Display houses a gift from our Sisters in Windham, New Hampshire for the reopening of the house. It is a poem composed by the sisters of Carlow towards the end of 1837. Mercy in the Philippines is depicted on the panels at either side of the upright display case which contains artefacts from our missions.

The folders in the bookcases inside the main door contain the names of all Professed Sisters of Mercy since the beginning of the Congregation. You may want to look up your own name or that of members of your family or friends.

Finally the remaining panels tell interesting snippets from the story of Catherine and the First Women of Mercy. The panels on Workhouses and Convent Industries show how succeeding generations of Sisters struggled to continue the work started in Baggot Street.

When you leave the Heritage Room and return to the corridor you will find the Gift Shop on your left. Browse around and select any items you are interested in purchasing. Note that the designs on the cards and note paper are taken from the art work of Sister Clare Augustine Moore. Any member of staff will assist you.

Refreshments are available in the Dining Room at the end of the corridor after organised tours.