Mother M. Clare (Georgiana) Moore was among the first to join Catherine's newly constituted congregation. Her life was defined by a strong interest in foundations. At the age of twenty-three, Catherine named her the first superior of the Mercy community in Cork. In 1839, she became the first superior of the Bermondsey Foundation.  This was meant to be a short-term appointment, but she was reappointed in 1841 to remain the superior in Bermondsey until her death in 1874, apart from a fifteen-month period. Clare travelled to the Crimea with four other Bermondsey Sisters on short notice to care for the sick and wounded British, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish soldiers fighting in the battle against Russia. Florence Nightingale admired Clare and her nursing abilities. Clare possessed exceptional administrative skills. Clare worked tirelessly to introduce Mercy to centres around England. Her foundations from Bermondsey, which became autonomous houses, were Chelsea in 1845, Bristol in 1846, Brighton in 1852, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in London in 1856, Wigton in 1857, Abingdon in 1859, Gravesend in 1860, and Clifford in 1870. 

Mary Sullivan writes, “Georgiana Moore was born in Dublin of Protestant parents on March 20, 1814, the daughter of George and Catherine Moore. Her father died in 1817, and "the family remained Protestant until 1823, when Mrs. Moore and her children [were] received into the Catholic Church" (Carroll, Leaves 2:37). ” Georgiana began working as a governess for the children of Baggot Street when she was approximately fourteen years old. She joined in 1832 as one of the first seven members and was professed in 1833. She was one of the volunteers residing on Baggot Street when Catherine McAuley travelled to George's Hill to complete her own novitiate before forming the new congregation.

As one of Catherine’s first companions in Mercy, Georgiana imbibed the spirit of the foundress. In Cork and in Bermondsey, and in the foundations made from Bermondsey, she established the works of Mercy. Georgiana was creative and imaginative in meeting the requirements that arose.

Georgiana was just 23 years old when she was appointed as the first Superior of the foundation in Cork. Leading a group of sisters to the Crimea would have been fraught with difficulties. In England, she would have had to contend with anti-Catholic sentiment in certain areas.

Mother M. Clare (Georgiana) Moore has had tremendous influence in Mercy history both in Ireland and in England.  She shared Catherine's passion for laying foundations. In establishing so many foundations in England in such a short period of time, she carried Mercy life and ministry to a large number of locations.

“Beginnings of the Order – Institute of Our Lady of Mercy”, Institute of Our Lady of Mercy UK, accessed 7 May 2024. https://ourladyofmercy.org.uk/homepage-3_trashed-4/who-we-are/introduction/

Sullivan, Mary C. Catherine McAuley and the Tradition of Mercy. Blackrock, Co Dublin, Ireland: Four Courts Press Ltd, 1995.

Sullivan notes in her biography that (Clare) “authored three important documents on the early history of the Sisters of Mercy: a set of five letters about Catherine McAuley to her sister, Mary Clare Augustine Moore, from August 23, 1844 through August 26, 1845; a long biography of Catherine McAuley entered into the Bermondsey Annals for 1841; and the first publication of A Little Book of Practical Sayings, Advices and Prayers of Our Revered Foundress, Mother Mary Catharine [sic) McAuley (London: Burns, Oates & Co., 1868)