Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 88
D.O.B. 12.05.1921
First Profession: 08.09.1945
Died: 19.09.1949 Aged: 26 years

Mary Ellen (May) Duignan came from Arva, Co. Cavan and entered MMM on 7 December 1942.

Following profession, she trained as a midwife. During her time at the maternity hospital, she became Matron Phelan’s “right hand”, and Matron succeeded in delaying her assignment overseas. Eventually, however, she was assigned to Nigeria, where she worked at the Mater Hospital, Afikpo. Unfortunately, her time there was all too short. One day, on the way to a bush clinic with the hospital team, the car in which the team were travelling overturned on the pontoon and Sr. M. de Sales was among those who were thrown in the water. She drowned. After her body was recovered, she was laid to rest at Afikpo.

A younger sister of Sr. de Sales, Lillie, entered MMM in 1949 and took the same name in religion but left in 1951.