A nun in full habit was selling trinkets (mainly knitted nick-knacks and small handmade wooden crosses) out of the back of her car as I passed through the car park at Donegal Town Quay, this morning. I went over and thumbed a few tea-cosies and knitted crosses (for hanging from the rear view mirror; apparently they are very popular in Donegal) and tried to strike up a conversation, leading, of course, to the dreaded "Can I take a picture of you?" question.
I quickly ascertained that the Sister was from the Holy Order "Sisters of Grace". That bit was easy, because it said so on the jars of jam and honey she was selling. She told me there were 300 Sisters in the order, all over the world, but only one in Ireland - her good self.
I got the question out fairly quickly and timed it for just when the Sister was handing me my change and the jar of honey I bought. "Oh no", she said. "I can't have a photo taken; it's against my religion". "What religion is that?" I inquired. "I'm a recluse”, she said. “In fact I was a hermit for 20 years".
"A duck got loose in the car park last week", she told me, her tone becoming increasingly stressed. "And a photo of me trying to catch it was taken by a press photographer and ended up in the local paper!" (I felt the urge to duck myself, just from the sheer venom with which she said the P words). "I'm still wondering what to do about it. I might sue the newspaper."
"Oh, that seems a bit drastic, surely there might be some good publicity in it, for the Order", I offered, at the same time wondering if I might have snapped her accidentally, and if so, did she have my car registration number.
Article comments
1 - Early Gardner
Interesting story about the nun and the duck.
I am more interested in the writer Maxwell.
My grandmother was a Maxwell from Missouri, her grandfather was a Maxwell from Kilcar.
Some of his brothers were fishermen and lived in St Johns Point.
As far as I know they were the only male members left in Donegal. Jane a sister is buried in Kilcar.
Please, if anyone of my kinfolks are still around Donegal, leave a message here. [edited][personal contact info deleted]. The line goes James Maxwell married to a Walker. Caldwell Maxwell my grandmas grandfather left in 1848. He had cousins or brother named George, Stephen and one other. Two of them died in the Civil war in 1860's
Looking forward to hearing from you. Early Gardner