Honora "Nano" Nagle (c. 1718 – 26 April 1784) was an Irish Catholic religious sister who served as a pioneer of Catholic education in Ireland despite legal prohibitions. She founded the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commonly known as the Presentation Sisters, now a worldwide Catholic institute of women religious.

Our Foundress, Nano Nagle, often made visits late into the night, carrying her lantern along the alleyways. Before long, Nano became known as the Lady of the Lantern. “If I could be of service in saving souls in any part of the globe, I would gladly do all in my power.” ~Nano Nagle

If Nano Nagle were alive today she would be the kind of person to win a Nobel Prize. Before her death in 1784, Nano had opened 7 schools for poor children across Cork city, founded an almshouse for poor women, and most notably, founded the Presentation Order, who continue her education and social inclusion work today.

Known as the “Lady of the Lantern,” Nano carried her lantern through the dark streets of Cork City, Ireland, guiding the lost, the sick, the elderly and the marginalized. Risking her own life, she transformed the lives of others by offering hope, love and compassion.

A pioneering Spirit-led woman in every way, Nano had the foresight to set up a religious congregation, now known as the Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to ensure her legacy.

Nano became affectionately known in the city as ‘The Lady of the Lantern’. On Christmas Eve 1775, after much trial and searching, she established the Sisters of Charitable Instruction of the Sacred Heart, later to be known as Presentation Sisters, to …

Venerable Nano Nagle, who founded the Presentation Sisters, is described as ‘the kind of person to win a Nobel Prize’ if she was alive today.

The Presentation Sisters were founded by Nano Nagle in Cork, Ireland in 1775. Nano was a woman of great courage who established secret schools (hedge schools) for Catholic children barred from education by oppressive British law.