Our Mercy health system was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1986. But our heritage goes back more than 195 years. It began with an Irish woman named Catherine McAuley, who was determined to help women and children in Dublin experiencing poverty. Though Catherine had a modest upbringing, she received an unexpected inheritance that allowed her to fulfill that dream. In 1827, she opened the first House of Mercy in Dublin, intending to teach skills to women and educate children. Many volunteers came to help.