Irish nuns bid to turn their convent green

Sr. Anna Bakutara picks lettuce leaves in her polytunnel on the farm at St. Mary's Abbey, an enclosed order of Trappistine nuns, in Glencairn, Ireland August 30, 2022. The monastery uses green energy and sustainable farming to try to make itself self sufficient for both heating and food. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

A centuries-old Irish convent is using green energy and sustainable farming to try to make itself self sufficient in heating and food - and its 29 nuns are encouraging other religious communities to do the same.

St. Mary's Abbey in Glencairn, an enclosed order of Trappistine nuns in the southeast of Ireland, has planted 27 acres of bio-energy fuel Miscanthus, an Asian elephant grass, which has replaced oil as its main heat source.

As part of a green energy drive started in 2016 it has also installed solar panels on the monastery's roof to heat water and boosted insulation in its property, part of which dates back to the 17th century.

Sr. Anna Bakutara waters her brassica in a polytunnel that she built at St. Mary's Abbey, an enclosed order of Trappistine nuns, in Glencairn, Ireland August 30, 2022. The monastery uses green energy and sustainable farming to try to make itself self sufficient for both heating and food. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

"As a religious community we should be showing by example to others. The earth is a gift to humanity," Sister Lily Scullion, 78, said.

Cattle, sheep and greenhouses help make the monastery self sufficient for much of its food. The nuns also grow apples, wheat, and vegetables across 200 acres.

The nuns have set aside five acres of land for wildlife. A system of reed beds purifies sewage waste.

Newly planted energy crop Miscanthus grows on the grounds at St. Mary's Abbey, a monastery that houses an enclosed order of Trappistine nuns who grow the crop to burn for fuel in their biomass boiler which provides the monastery with heat and hot water, in Glencairn, Ireland November 23, 2021. The monastery uses green energy and sustainable farming to try to make itself self sufficient for both heating and food. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

(Reporting by Clodagh Kilcoyne, writing by Conor Humphries, editing by Andrew Heavens)

Sr. Beatrice Brady is illuminated by light as she bows during None prayers at St. Mary's Abbey, an enclosed order of Trappistine nuns, in Glencairn, Ireland August 30, 2022. The monastery uses green energy and sustainable farming to try to make itself self sufficient for both heating and food. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Sr. Liz Deasy digs up the vegetable gardens to plant potatoes on a foggy morning, at St. Mary's Abbey, an enclosed order of Trappistine nuns, in Glencairn, Ireland November 23, 2021. The monastery uses green energy and sustainable farming to try to make itself self sufficient for both heating and food. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne REFILE - CORRECTING YEAR

A sheep looks at Taisce the puppy, on the farm at St. Mary's Abbey, a monastery that houses an enclosed order of Trappistine nuns, in Glencairn, Ireland August 30, 2022. The monastery uses green energy and sustainable farming to try to make itself self sufficient for both heating and food. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne