By Timmy Austin, 5th Class.
Nano Nagle was born in 1718 to a wealthy Catholic family. Nano Nagle grew up in Ballygriffin near Mallow on the banks of the River Blackwater. Despite the Penal Laws, Nano Nagle was sent to France to get an education. When in France, Nano Nagle joined a convent but left because she couldn’t help the paupers.
Nano Nagle then moved back to Cork to help the poor. When in cork, Nano Nagle built a school on Cove Street for Irish, Catholic women to better their lives and to help them learn more about being a Catholic. In ten years. Nano Nagle built six more schools and also made her own convent called the Presentation Sisters. During the day, Nano Nagle would visit the schools she built and during the night she would help the paupers. This led her to the name Lady of the Lantern.
Because of how much work she had been doing her health was rapidly decreasing which led to her death in 1784 at the age of 66. The schools she made are still running to this day and the location where she opened her first school is now a famous monument and you can visit it today.
Togher Boys' National School 