Council to host Athlone recognition event for religious orders

An 'address of recognition' in Athlone is being planned by the council in order to mark the contributions to education that were made by religious orders in the locality.

The civic address was initially proposed last year by Cllr Frankie Keena. It was put forward by Cllr Keena as a way of acknowledging the Marist Brothers, La Sainte Union Sisters and the Mercy Sisters for contributing to the education and development of Athlone for more than 130 years.

At the request of Cllr Liam McDaniel, the scope of the recognition event was then expanded to include other religious orders who had been active in areas such as Moate and Kilbeggan.

During the March meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District, a final list of seven religious orders that are to be invited to the civic recognition event was agreed.

The orders were listed by the council as follows: The Marist Brothers Order, Athlone; La Sainte Union Sisters (Bower); The Mercy Sisters, Athlone; The Mercy Sisters, Moate; Carmelite Order, Moate; Athlone Mixed National School (Church of Ireland); and Sisters of Mercy, Kilbeggan.

It was agreed at the meeting that this list would now be sent to the council's Corporate Policy Group, which is due to finalise the arrangements for hosting the address of recognition at Athlone Civic Centre.