The Poor Clares, officially the Order of Saint Clare, is a Roman Catholic contemplative order of nuns. The order was founded by Chiara Offreduccio, Saint Clare of Assisi, on Palm Sunday 1212. She was eighteen years old at the time and had been inspired by the preaching of St Francis of Assisi. The Order spread rapidly. Today, over 800 years later, there are over 20,000 Poor Clare nuns in 76 countries throughout the world.

There are six other Poor Clare convents in Ireland, located in towns and cities around the country. The convent of the Poor Clare nuns in Carlow town, is located in Graiguecullen on the west side of the River Barrow beside St Clare’s Church. The convent was established in 1893 by a group of five sisters from a convent in Manchester, England.

Saint Clare of Assisi was born in Assisi, Italy in the year 1194 On This Day.

Photo by kid45laundry

Clare_of_Assisi by kid45laundry on 2009-11-07 13:30:08

Photo by Northfielder

The Basilica of Saint Clare (Basilica di Santa Chiara in Italian) by Northfielder on 2005-08-11 08:56:51

Plaque on house on Graiguecullen Bridge, Carlow