The Life of Nano Nagle
By Ashleign (Age 10) 300 years ago, 1718 in Cork, Ireland, a little adorable girl named Honora Nagle was born. Her mother’s names was Ann Matthew and her father was Garret Nagle, the nickname, Nano, was given by her father. As days and months went by, and Nano grew older. As a little girl, she was high-spirited and could sometimes be selfish. She went to a hedge school to hide from the English people because Irish children couldn’t be educated, they also weren’t allowed to have Mass at church. So, they had to hide because they were oppressed by the English laws. When her teenage years came, she went to France for a better education. She went with her sister Ann, while the rest of her family stayed back in Ireland. She loved to have a good time while she was in France she went to parties and dances. One day Nano saw poor people outside in the cold waiting for the church to open, then she remembered her family back in Ireland and the work she needed to do. When Ann informed Nano that her father had died, Nano returned to Ireland. When she went back to work in Ireland, she took a lantern at night with some food and medicine to the poor and the sick. This is how she got the name “Lady of the Lantern”. She taught kids in hedge schools in the morning. As years went by, she made seven schools, two for boys. Her brother found out what she was doing and wasn’t happy with her because he was afraid and worried that Nano might be punished for it. But Nano didn’t listen, so she continued what she was doing until she founded the Presentation Sisters. She continued her work by teaching kids and helping the poor until she died. The date of her death was 26 April 1784 by an infection called tuberculosis. The Presentation Sisters continue her work. Nano Nagle has inspired us by being brave and having the right to do good things and taking the risk. Nano’s actions help us to have a better future. Her last words to the Presentation Sisters were “Love each other as you always have.” |