'Ma and Imelda's
years of Red Cross service honoured
Imelda O'Connor
pictured with her mother Hannah Sheahan who have jointly over 100 years’
service to the Irish Red Cross
A mother and daughter from Mallow have been honoured for
giving more than 100 years of service between them to the Irish Red Cross.
Hannah 'Ma' Sheahan and Imelda O'Connor were rewarded for
their years of service and "steadfast loyalty" to the Red Cross
during a special awards ceremony held at Cork City Hall.
In October 1951, 'Ma' Sheahan was one of the founder members
of the Irish Red Cross in Mallow, helping lay the foundations for the future
success of the branch.
There had been a branch of the Red Cross operating in Mallow
from 1941, however it was disbanded in 1946 after the end of the Second World
War.
Five years later 'Ma' took on the role of the first Ladies
Unit Officer for the reformed branch, in the process becoming the first female
to wear the new Red Cross uniform.
She rose within the ranks of the organisation to the position
of Assistant Area Director of Units, a rank she still holds in an honorary
position.
Her contribution to the Red Cross was summed up by the then
PRO Maeve O'Reilly at a function in 2011 to mark 'Ma' Sheahan's 60-year
association with the Mallow branch.
"She is a human
dynamo. An octogenarian with the spirit of a 20-year-old and the energy of a
woman less than half her age," said Ms O'Reilly.
Her daughter Imelda was also honoured at the ceremony for
the more than four decades of service she has given to the Red Cross.
Imelda joined the Mallow Red Cross while still a student at
St Mary's Secondary School. In 1982 she co-founded the Ballinora/Ballincollig
branch of the Red Cross and is a tutor with the national panel in addition to
holding the role of Deputy Area Director for the Cork South West region.
(courtesy of The Corkman)