Amanda and Pepper Jay must be two of the luckiest foster donkeys on our foster scheme and what you might call truly Blessed with the home they have been sharing with nine nuns at the Carmelite Monastery in Delgany, Co Wicklow for the past seven years.

An established place of prayer since 1844, the ‘raison d’etre’ of the Carmelite life, the community built a church there in 1852; and in recent years went on to extend the original farmhouse to house a monastery. The two mares have a very special existence indeed and even witnessed the blessing of this new extension by none other than Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on the Feast Day of our Lady of Mount Carmel in 2005.

Amanda and Pepper Jay have been living with Sr Monica and the other Carmelite sisters since 2002 and are the most contented and happy pair. They have become firm favourites with all the nuns but with Sr Gwen and Sr Cecilia as their special minders they respond better to them than anyone. You could say donkeys like humans are creatures of ‘habit’ and familiarity makes them feel safe and secure!

Regional Welfare Officer Clem Ryan says the sisters are a shining example of what we need in a foster home, continuing not only to look after Amanda and Pepper Jay to a very high standard but frequently helping out with funds by sending in the contents of the Donkey Collection Tub they have on display.

Thank you Sisters – from Amanda, Pepper Jay and all of us!