A Tribute Sr. M. David Mannion, Columban Sister

Sr. Mary David (Babs) Mannion (1923–2012) was born Bridget Mary Mannion in Milltown, Co. Galway. She attended Gortnor Abbey boarding school before studying medicine at University College Galway, where she qualified as a doctor.

In 1954 she joined the Columban Sisters and was missioned to Korea, a country devastated by war and poverty. Arriving in 1955, she helped establish clinics in Chuncheon and Mokpo, where she worked as a medical officer, trained nurses, and set up midwifery courses. She became known for her dedication, travelling through villages with medicines, treating the sick, and offering compassion to those living in extreme hardship. Her medical skill was matched by her humility and faith.

In 1970 she undertook postgraduate studies in Ireland before returning to Korea to serve in Samcheok and later on Cheju Island. In the 1980s she came home to care for her elderly mother, and later her sister Mary. During this time she trained in pastoral counselling and worked in London before settling back in Milltown.

A moment of national media attention came in 1998 when, as a nun, she applied to transfer the family’s licensed premises into her own name to sell it. This sensationalised episode, however, never defined her.

Sr. Mary David spent her final years in the Columban Convent, Magheramore, until her death on 8 November 2012. She is remembered as a brilliant doctor, devoted missionary, and humble woman of deep faith. To celebrate her memory, a booklet has been published onto our website: www.milltowncommunityheritage.org