Cecily Dillon facts for kids

Sister Cecily Dillon (born around 1603 – died 1653) was an important Irish nun. She helped start and was the first leader (called an abbess) of the Irish Poor Clares convents in Dublin, Ballinacliffey, and Athlone.

Who Was Cecily Dillon?

Cecily Dillon was born around 1603 in Kellefaghny, County Westmeath, Ireland. She was one of 19 children born to Theobald Dillon and Eleanor Tuite. Her family was quite large! Two of her brothers were Lucas Dillon and James Dillon.

When she was young, Cecily and her older sister, Eleanor, traveled to Flanders. There, they joined a group of English Poor Clares nuns at a place called Gravelines. On September 8, 1622, Cecily officially became a nun and was known as Sister Cecily of St Francis.

Starting a New Life in Ireland

In May 1625, Cecily left Gravelines with three other Irish nuns. Their goal was to start a new Irish convent in Dunkirk. Eleanor, Cecily's sister, became the abbess (leader) of this new group. In 1627, they moved again to Nieuwpoort to set up another community.

The nuns really wanted to return to their home country, Ireland. With help from Irish Franciscan priests and Cecily's brothers, George and Louis, they finally did! The very first Poor Clare convent in Ireland was opened in Dublin in June 1629. Sadly, Eleanor died soon after they arrived back in Dublin, and Cecily became the abbess.

At that time, the government was trying to close down religious houses. But because Cecily's brother Lucas was a member of an important Irish council, their convent was able to stay open for a while. However, on October 22, 1630, their convent was raided. The nuns were told they had to leave. Instead of breaking up, they went to stay at Sir Lucas's family home in County Westmeath.

In 1631, the sisters started a new convent on the Dillon family's land at Ballinacliffey, near Lough Ree. They called this new home Bethlehem. Many young women joined them, including six of Cecily's nieces. These nieces were daughters of important lords like Westmeath, Fingall, and Gormanston.

Challenges and a Sad Journey

In late 1641, a big rebellion started in Ireland. Because of the danger, the sisters had to leave their convent. In 1642, their convent was raided and burned down. The nuns found safety by staying with their family and friends. By this time, there were over 30 sisters in the community. Some moved to County Galway, and four went to Wexford.

Cecily stayed in Athlone until 1653. She was chosen to be the abbess at least five more times, showing how much the other nuns trusted her. In 1653, a leader named Oliver Cromwell made a difficult rule. He said that all nuns in Ireland had to either get married or leave the country.

Cecily led a group of nuns on a ship to Spain. They hoped to find a new home in religious houses there. However, when their ship arrived in Galicia, it was put under quarantine. This meant they were not allowed to get off the ship. While still on board, Cecily became very sick and passed away. She was buried in Spain.