DERRY JOURNAL Editorial: All or Nothing: The example of Sister Clare Crockett

Sister Clare died as she was trying to protect children at a school when an Earthquake struck. It was to be the final example during her life-time of how she had dedicated herself to good, forgoing the trappings of the modern world for a spiritual one, and one dedicated to helping others. But her death was not the end of the story for this young nun from the Brandywell.

Since her death people across Ireland and beyond have been praying to Sister Clare. A special prayer has been written. Miracles have been attributed to her, special intentions asked of her. Recently the wife of Blian Bowe, who recovered from coronavirus against all odds, said Sr Clare had proved a huge source of strength for the family during the many weeks he was in intensive care. Carla Bowe believed, like many people in this city and beyond, that those daily prayers to Sister Clare had proved pivotal.

Whether you believe in miracles or not, this new mural will serve a purpose. Like that of the Bogside Artists’ Civil Rights a short distance away along the Lecky Road depicting the late great John Hume among other global icons, this new mural serves as a reminder of the difference one person standing apart and having the courage of their convictions and beliefs can make.

Sister Clare’s mural will likely inspire a new generation of boys and girls who pass by it to enquire about her life and take on board the example she has set. The artwork is, in and of itself, a symbol of hope.

And it is a fitting tribute to one of our own, a woman who refused to take the easy path, who had the clarity and courage to look beyond the material world. For Sister Clare Crockett, it really was ‘All or Nothing’.