In 1827, Catherine McAuley founded the order of the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin. From the start, their mission was to serve the poor, sick and uneducated. In 1840, she was asked by the Bishop of Galway to establish a similar community in his diocese. Their Catholic convent later became part of St. Vincent’s. When this church opened in 1842, it was called Fr. Daly’s Chapel in recognition of the priest who initiated it. This western façade of St. Vincent’s faces the river and features three gables plus a bell tower with battlements. The construction material for this Gothic structure is ashlar limestone. The sisters are still active in Galway after decades of good work including forming schools and hospitals.
