Tragedy and a New Perspective
After establishing himself as a successful merchant, Edmund fell in love with Mary Elliot, the daughter of a leather merchant, and they got married. Just a few years later, Mary died tragically after a fall from a horse.
At the time, she was seven months pregnant with her first child. Mary and Edmund's daughter, also called Mary, was born prematurely. She survived, but was disabled for the rest of her life.
A Re-creation of Edmund Rice’s Bedroom
A re-creation of Edmund Rice’s bedroom at the Edmund Rice International Heritage Centre, Mount Sion, Waterford City.
© Waterford City Council Library Service.A Re-creation of Edmund Rice’s Bedroom
© Waterford City Council Library Service.
© Waterford City Council Library Service.
A Re-creation of Edmund Rice’s Bedroom
A re-creation of Edmund Rice’s bedroom at the Edmund Rice International Heritage Centre, Mount Sion, Waterford City.
© Waterford City Council Library Service.This tragic accident changed Edmund's perspective on life. He became an avid reader of the Bible, helped at mass every day and began to do much charity work.
Increasingly, he began to devote himself to a spiritual way of life. He developed a strong compassion for the underprivileged children of Waterford City. But he wanted to do more for them than just providing handouts of food and clothes. He wanted to educate them and change the society that caused them to be poor.