Callan, County Kilkenny
The College was founded by a group of Mercy sisters from Callan, County Kilkenny, Ireland. The Sisters of Mercy were invited to come run a Catholic school in Parramatta. Mother Mary Clare Dunphy led the sea voyage from Ireland to Australia in 1889. They opened the school on its present site in January 1889, with seven high school students and Mother M. Alacoque Kavanagh as the founding Principal. Previous to this, the school had been ministered by the Sisters of Mercy from North Sydney and was known as 'St Mary's High School'. The school had both a co-educational primary school and a girls' high school. Subjects taught included English, Latin, Modern languages, Mathematics, Singing, Elocution, Physical Culture, Freehand and Geometrical Drawing, Painting, Music, Needlework, and Woodcarving.