Killarney Municipal District has been asked to address a significant gender imbalance at the town’s Mission Memorial in the Fern Garden.

Speaking at Wednesday’s municipal meeting, Cllr John O’Donoghue highlighted that while the monument correctly honours those who served abroad, it is currently heavily weighted towards men, leaving the massive contribution of missionary women almost entirely unacknowledged.
Ireland’s missionary history is deeply rooted, with an estimated 30,000 men and women joining missionary orders between 1920 and 1970.

Cllr O’Donoghue pointed out that women, particularly those in various orders of nuns, likely exceeded their male counterparts in number.

These women often worked in dangerous locations, serving as the sole voice for the marginalised, including those suffering from disease, poverty, and displacement.

The Councillor argued that even a cursory glance at the existing monument shows it does not reflect this reality.

He asked the Council to examine how best to rectify this imbalance and acknowledge the work of these women in a fitting manner.

He noted that the message of empathy and acceptance carried by these missionaries to all corners of the globe is more important to highlight today than ever before.

In response, the Killarney MD Office stated they would welcome engagement and recommendations from community groups and stakeholders regarding specific individuals deserving of recognition.

The Council indicated a willingness to review how to better commemorate these women at the Mission Garden to ensure their selfless acts are properly recorded for future generations.

The Kerry nun who braved the streets of wartime Rome

One of the most likely candidates for commemoration is Sister Noreen Dennehy, a Missionary Franciscan Sister originally from Killorglin.

History often focuses on the famous ‘Rome Escape Line’ led by Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty (who already has a dedicated Mission Road statute), Sister Noreen played a vital and covert role in the network’s success during World War II.

Operating behind the scenes, she served as a crucial bridge between the Monsignor and the highest echelons of Roman society.

Sister Noreen frequently undertook dangerous missions through the cobbled streets of occupied Rome to liaise with the local elite, including a key princess who provided the essential funding and logistical support needed to keep the escape route operational.