The town has a strong connection with the Quaker community at nearby Castle Salem. During the Famine, two soup kitchens were opened in Rosscarbery to provide food for the many locals facing starvation. That local compassion also continued through the work of the Sisters of Mercy, who arrived in the town in the late 1800’s. The sisters built cottages by their convent where girls learnt lacemaking, sewing and craftwork, helping them become financially independent. That tradition became official in 1984 when local volunteers established Rosscarbery’s Meals on Wheels service.