THE IRISH NUNS AT YPRES
AN EPISODE OF THE WAR
The Mother Prioress of Ypres.
The Lady Abbess of Oulton. The Lady Abbess of Ypres.
Oulton and Ypres.
THE IRISH NUNS
AT YPRES
AN EPISODE OF THE WAR
BY
D. M. C.
O.S.B. (Member of the Community)
EDITED BY
R. BARRY O’BRIEN, LL.D.
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
JOHN REDMOND, M.P.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON
SMITH, ELDER & CO.
15 WATERLOO PLACE
1915
[All rights reserved.]
[Pg v]
PREFACE
The following narrative was originally intended, as a record of theevents it relates, for the use of the Community only. But, shortlyafter the arrival of the Mother Prioress in England, the manuscript wasplaced in my hands. I soon formed the opinion that it deserved a largercirculation. My friend Reginald Smith shared this view, and so thestory has come before the public.
It is in truth a human document of thrilling interest, and will, Ibelieve, make an abiding contribution to the history of this world-widewar. D. M. C., though a novice in literary work, describes withgraphic force the transactions in which she and her Sisters played soconspicuous and so courageous a part. The moving pictures, which passbefore our eyes in her pages, are full of[Pg vi] touching realism, and throwcurious sidelights on the manifold aspects of the titanic strugglewhich comes home to everyone and everything.
The heroism, the self-devotion, the religious faith, the Christianzeal and charity of those Irish nuns at Ypres, in a terrible crisis inthe history of their Order, will, I venture to say, command universalrespect and admiration, mingled with pity for their fate, and anearnest desire, among all generous souls, to help them in retrievingtheir fortunes.
A Note by the Prioress, and an Introduction by Mr. Redmond, who, amidhis many onerous occupations, is not unmindful of the duty whichIrishmen owe to the historic little Community of Irish Nuns at Ypres,form a foreword to a narrative which belongs to the history of thetimes.
The illustration on the cover is a reproduction of the remnant (stillpreserved in the Convent) of one of the flags captured by the IrishBrigade at the battle of Ramillies. On this subject I have added a Notein the text.
[Pg vii]
There are names in Belgium which revive memories that Irishmen cannotforget. Fontenoy and Landen are household words. Ypres, too, bringsback recollections associat