This article is from page 24 of the 2011-02-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 24 JPG
ONE of the first nuns to qualify in medicine, Sr Dr Maura O’Donoghue has been named as the Clare Person of the Year.
Sr O’Donoghue was honoured at the annual meeting of the Clare Association in Dublin last week.
A native of Lickeen, Kilfenora, Sr O’Donoghue was one of the first members of the religious order to practice medicine. Presenting the award, Liam O’Looney of the Clareman’s Association noted that Sr O’Donoghue qualified at a time when some people “were not happy that the religious sisters were qualifying in medicine”.
Mr O’Looney continued, “Sr Maura had a very distinguished career in the missions and most of her work was carried out in different parts of Africa and other developing countries. She initiated welfare schemes and clinics for the hungry during some of the very serious famines they suffered in those countries during that period.”
Sr O’Donohue now lives in Booterstown, Dublin, where she is very ac- tive campaigner on the issue of women being trafficked as sex workers.
Acclaimed singer and writer Robbie McMahon from Spancill Hill was nominated for the association’s 2011 Hall of Fame award.
The ceremony also saw the launch of the Clare Association’s new website, clareassociationdublin.com.
The primary aim of the website is the reach out to generations of Clare migrants living in Dublin.
The website was launched by businessman and prominent Clare supporter, Pat O’Donnell, who brought Clare GAA’s most sought after trophies – Jack Daly (football) and Canon Hamilton (hurling) – to the event.
Among the other attendees were previous Clare persons of the year, Martin Donnelly, Michael Tubridy and John Lynch.