'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)