'Sr Bowles did Trojan work for the youth of city and county'

TRAINEES at the Limerick Youth Service Centre were inconsolable when they heard about the death of Sr Joan Bowles.

She spent all her working life helping to give disadvantaged teenagers a second chance.

Sr Bowles, a native of Oola, Co Limerick, was a member of the Mercy Order for 30 years. Known as the “young people’s nun” she set up numerous training facilities for children in the city. She gained national recognition through her work as the tireless director of the Limerick Youth Service.

Yesterday, some of the people she helped said they owed everything to the selfless nun. Jessica Fitzgerald, 21, from Moyross, said: “She was a remarkable woman who has done Trojan work for the youth of the city and county.”

Jessica recalled that she left school at 15 years, but because of Sr Joan, she went back to secondary school and passed her Leaving Certificate.

“I then went to study bakery and got all my certs and now I am in full employment,’’ she said.

Catherine O’Doherty, 23, from Moyross, remembered how Sr Joan organised holiday visits to the summer camp she built in Ballybunion.

City mayor John Cronin also paid tribute to Sr Bowles, who was once his teacher at St Munchin’s CBS. “We were both on the Diocesan Youth Council together. She had enormous energy and thousands of teenagers who could have easily gone off the straight and narrow have gone on to lead successful lives because of her,” he said.

The Bishop of Limerick, Dr Donal Murray, who is in the US, sent a message of sympathy to the nun’s family.

Diocesan secretary Fr Tony Mullins said: “We are only beginning to take in the enormity of the tragedy for the family and the community of Moyross where she lived.”

Judge Tom O’Donnell was close to tears when he paid an emotional tribute to the popular nun.

Speaking at a sitting of the District Court he said: “I have seen the dysfunctional backgrounds of many young people before this court. Only for the work and courage of people like Sr Joan, I think the world would have been a much worse place,” he said.