NANO Nagle, founder of the Presentation Sisters, is one of the most widely-recognised names in the history of religion and education in Ireland.
She was declared venerable by Pope Francis in 2013 and has been described by Mary McAleese as "an extraordinary woman".
In this accessible book, The Story of Nano Nagle: A Life Lived on the Razor's Edge, Anne Lyons tells the story of this remarkable and pioneering woman.
Born into a wealthy family in 1718, she abandoned a life of privilege and position, choosing instead to live and work in solidarity with those made destitute in her beloved city of Cork.
The author tells how Nagle was "driven by a burning passion to help Christ's marginalised" and "dared not only to dream a better life for them but to make this seemingly impossible dream a lived reality".
"This was the great miracle of her life. Her legacy is particularly remarkable given the context of the times she lived in, where women did not have a voice in any public domain."
She pursued a vision to feed and educate Cork's children. The impact of her work stretched far beyond the seven schools she established around the city; at its height, the Presentation Sisters had more than 500 schools around the world.
Anne Lyons PBVM has served with the Presentation Sisters in Ireland and the US, as well as in Pakistan and Cambodia.
She is also postulator to promote the Cause for Nano Nagle's beatification.
The Story of Nano Nagle: A Life Lived on the Razor's Edge by Anne Lyons is published by Messenger Publications, priced £4.50/€4.95.
