Tag Archives: Mary Fitzgerald

THE legacy left by Clare Haven Services co-founder Mary Fitzgerald was remembered at her funeral mass last week as family and friends said their goodbyes to the woman described as “the best of us”. Speaking at her funeral mass in Kilnamona Church, family friend Fr Tom Hogan recalled, “She was always dreaming dreams, always saw new possibilities and wanted to do the very thing that came natural to her. She was a doer and she achieved so much and so many people are the better because Mary Fitz lived.” Originally from Maghera in Inagh, Mary later lived at Ballymacahill in Ennis with her loving family. Husband Martin Feerick paid tribute to his loving wife describing her as “always a character”, “wonderful” and the “best person you could ever give a job to do, but along with that she was just full of craic and fun”. He said they were both very different people, acknowledging, “we were a bit of an …

THE inspirational story of a community that said no to domestic abuse has been brought to life in a brand new book which will be launched in Ennis next week. The public are invited to come and celebrate an important milestone in Clare – the launch of the book ‘Light on the Horizon’ at a wine reception in The Old Ground Hotel, Ennis on November 10 at 6.30 pm. The book tells the story of Ennis women Mary Fitzgerald and Colette Redington who met by chance in 1992 when they both helped women who were victims of domestic abuse. Clare Haven was born and three decades later there is a refuge, second-stage houses, a full range of outreach services and education programmes are available to victims of domestic abuse in County Clare. It is an enduring statistic that one in four Irish women who have been in a relationship has been abused by a current or former partner. It became …

THE Clare Association Dublin has saluted Mary Fitzgerald, Maghera, Inagh for her outstanding work and pioneering contribution over many years in helping to address issues surrounding domestic violence and abuse. They named her their 2020 Hall of Fame winner and presented her with her award at their annual award function in the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon recently. Tom Conway, chairman of the Clare Association Dublin and also a native of the Inagh area, presented the award and in doing so said that in the early 1990s Mary Fitzgerald first became aware of the plight of women and children fleeing from domestic violence while working at Ennis Garda Station. Indeed a garda station at that time was often the only available safe haven for victims of domestic violence. Mary had previously worked in Calcutta with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity and also in a Romanian Orphanage. She was named as Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year in 2018. Her work in this …

THE founder of Clare Haven, Mary Fitzgerald, has been chosen to lead this year’s Ennis St Patrick’s Day parade. Thousands of people are expected to line the streets of the Clare county capital on Sunday, March 17 for the 2019 Ennis St Patrick’s Day Parade. Clare County Council is once again seeking to make the Ennis parade a countywide affair with artistic, cultural and sporting groups together with schools, scouts and a range of community groups from all over Clare taking part. Application forms are available on the Clare County Council website. In excess of 10,000 people lined the streets of town during last year’s parade, which featured 40 groups representing the many aspects of life in Ennis and County Clare. This year there will be prizes awarded for the entrants that provide the “Most Musical & Colourful Spectacle”. The parade commences at 11am from Clare County Council’s headquarters at Áras Contae an Chláir before proceeding via New Road, Newbridge …