margaret

Margaret's Pages - honouring
Dr (Sr) Margaret MacCurtain, OP

Dr. Margaret MacCurtain, is a noted historian in Ireland and is a fighter for justice, especially for women and children. This lady is one of the pioneers of Women's history in Ireland. She is a religious writer with many published works, and a great speaker. This woman is devoted to human rights.

Dr Margaret MacCurtain (middle of photo) was awarded an Honorary Research Fellowship in the Faculty of Arts, University College of Dublin....1997

Showing the townlands of the section of Co Limerick where Margaret's family originated. This area of Co Limerick is near its borders with both Co Kerry and Co Cork.
The townland on the right is Knocknadiha and the lower one is Mt Collins townland.
The Curtin's and Leahy's farmed in these areas in the parish of Tournafulla/Mt Collins, Co Limerick.

Margaret was born in County Cork, Ireland. She is from a family of 5 children, born at a time, when most families had from 5 to 9 or 10 children. Her father Sean Curtin, was a District School Inspector and a scholarly man. Margaret and her sisters all went to University.

At age 21, Margaret decided to enter religious life. She had her primary degree and a diploma in teaching, and joined the Dominicians. Her family could not believe someone who had been a student activist during her student days at University College of Cork, could enter a convent.
As the years went on, Margaret did post-graduate studies, and specialised in women's history.

Margaret became Sister Benvenuta and in time her students respectively called her "Sr Ben".
About the early 1970's canon law directed that Nuns could revert to their single names and Margaret reverted to hers. She rather liked the Irish version as well, which was Maighread.

The Dominican Order was introduced to Co Limerick by King Donncodh O'Brien in 1227. The Priory at Killmalloch was founded in 1291.

Margaret was born in 1929 . Her father, Sean born in Mt Collins, Co Limerick, told her that the name Margaret was from his side of the family for several generations.
It is believed that Margaret suffered polio as a child.
She did not know her Curtin grandparents as they had passed on before her birth, but they were Michael Curtin and his wife Margaret Leahy who married in February 1874, according to records at Mount Collins. Margaret Leahy's people lived in the townland of Cnucambardh (Knocknadiha) and many other Leahy's families farmed in the neighbouring farming areas in Glengort north and south (Ballycommane).

Michael Curtin was born about 1845 and was one of at least 7 children born to Patrick Curtin and Ellen Fitzgerald. At least 1 sister Joanne, was known as 'Missus' at Mt Eagle school, and 2 brothers, John {died about 1913} and Daniel {1847 to 1919} were school masters in Brosna Parish, Co Kerry. Michael took on the home farm and raised his family. Some of the children were Ellen born in 1875, Patrick, Elizabeth, Denis, John, Cornelius and Catherine. John Curtin born about 1896 went on to become a Deputy Inspector of Primary Schools.

Michael and Margaret Curtin both appear on the 1901 census and by 1911 census the widowed Margaret, lived with her son Patrick Curtin and family. Patrick was born about 1876 and had at least 7 children. Michael's grandparents were a John Curtin and Julia Lynch.

Church at Mt Collins, Co Limerick

Mount Collins was part of Killeedy parish in early times. In 1838, Tournafulla/Mt Collins became a new parish as a Church was built in Tournafulla to replace an older one built near the river in 1814.

The Church in Mount Collins village was built in 1859, and extended in 1954/55. The Parochial house was at Ballycommane, between Mt Collins and Tournafulla villages.
Mt Collins village never had a school house. In 1870 a school was built on the Low Road, past Dunscumbe Bridge. After it was demolished, a new school was built at Caherlevoy across the river from the original building.

Page made by Margaret, the Curtin Clan Association's Genealogist in February 2002

Sr Margaret MacCurtain was a Prioress of Sion Hill Convent, for a time and in 1994 retired as a Lecturer from the Irish History Department of University College in Dublin where she had worked for 30 years.
In 1993 she was awarded the Eire Society of Boston Gold Medal. This exceptional woman is recognised and honoured as a scholar, educator, writer, and feminist activist.

Sr Margaret was a strong voice in the "yes" campaign for divorce of Irish couples., and the Right to Remarry Campaign.
She stated that if a marriage was dead, both the Church and the State had an obligation to free the couple.
She is very much in favour of giving people a second chance.

In the 1980's Sr Margaret attend the World Peace Conferences annual meetings as a member of the Irish Delegation.
She truly was a champion of justice for all.