Ireland

The Sisters of Bon Secours came to Dublin in 1861 following an invitation from an Irish woman named Catherine O’Ferrall who learned of the ministry of Bon Secours during a trip to Paris. Five sisters began serving the people of Dublin as they had in France, visiting the sick and dying in their homes and sometimes spending long nights by their bedsides. Their unconventional approach to ministry quickly became favored by the doctors, clergy and citizens alike. The sisters were invited to work in a number of Dioceses throughout the country in Cork, Kerry, Belfast and Galway. As our presence and ministry grew, sisters established hospitals to care for medical and nursing needs of the sick and dying. Our first hospital was established in Cork in 1915, followed by hospitals in Tralee, Dublin and Galway.

Sisters also ministered in the communities where we were located through home visitation and parish ministry. Our sisters ministered in Belfast from 1872 to 2012 and in Galway from 1885 to 2017.

Bon Secours Health System, Ireland was formed in 1993 to coordinate our Irish health care facilities and continue our mission of compassion, quality patient care and care of the dying. In 2018, Bon Secours Health System merged with the Bon Secours Mercy Health System in the United States.