Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 37
D.O.B. 30.03.1911
First Profession: 02.07.1943
Died: 06.10.1975 Aged: 64 years
It would seem that even though she might have wanted to ‘hide her light under a bushel’, there was no hiding from Mother Mary the many gifts Sarah Kenny of Ballymacward, Co. Galway, had to share with MMM.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No. 719
D.O.B. 25.02.1924
First Profession 03.10.1967
Died: 30/01/2005 Aged: 80 years
Ellen Kenna was born in Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny. She had one brother and three sisters and was educated at the Mercy Convent, Balleyragget and the Brigidine Convent in Abbeyleix. Some time after leaving school Ellen moved with her family to Dublin. Like many young ladies of the time, Ellen stayed at home for many years, taking care of her parents and the house.
Sister Patricia was born Bridget Patricia Kelly in Ricehill, Co. Cavan in 1925. Known as Pat, she joined the Medical Missionaries of Mary in 1943, after completing her leaving certificate. She was soon sent off to Dublin to study medicine in UCD. In MMM’s early days, Sisters were often sent off to assignments at short notice. Soon after qualifying, she was assigned to Nigeria. From 1951 to 1953 she worked in Anua and Urua Akpan.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 163
D.O.B. 03.02.1922
First Profession: 17.03.1949
Died: 15.01.1993 Aged: 70 years
Baptised Mary, Sr. M. Perpetua Kelly, from Athlone, Co. Westmeath, entered MMM in Rosemount on 20 August 1946.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 82
D.O.B. 26.02.1919
First Profession: 16.03.1948
Died: 05.05.1992 Aged: 73 years
Sheila Kelly, one of a family of twelve girls and one boy (who became a priest), came from Dublin. She was a qualified pharmacist when she entered MMM on 15 September 1942.
Sister Andrea was born Annie Kelly in Glasgow, Scotland in 1922. Her family emigrated to Clifton, New Jersey, USA, in 1927 and she completed her first level education (grade school) there. When Andrea was eleven the family returned to Glasgow and she obtained her GCE and trained as a nurse-midwife. She worked in Glasgow as a health visitor for five years and as a district midwife for five years and before joining the Medical Missionaries of Mary in 1959.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 296
D.O.B. 09.09.1916
First Profession: 01.06.1954
Died: 06.12.1986 Aged: 70 years
Kathleen Keegan came from Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon. She was already a trained nurse and midwife when she entered MMM on 15 August 1951. She gave of her best in that profession first in Nigeria (Anua), where she spent twelve years, and then in Drogheda for many more years. In fact, it could be said that she was one of the ‘pillars’ who built up the IMTH.
Sister Veronica was born Brigid Mary Veronica in Ballindoon, Sligo, in 1927, the first in a family of three girls and three boys. Educated by the Marist Sisters in Tubbercurry, Sligo she then trained in institutional management at the College of Catering, Cathal Brugha Street in Dublin. She worked as a catering supervisor in Mullingar County Hospital before joining MMM in 1957.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 07
D.O.B.: 10.02.1903
First Profession: 06.01.1945
Died: 06.01.1966 Aged: 63 years
One of our founding members, Maeve, known to her family and friends as ‘Golly’, from Co. Galway, first met Marie Martin, the future Mother Mary, on 27 December 1936.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No. 27
D.O.B.: 06.05.1916
First Profession 08.09.1942
Died: 21.07.2009 Aged: 93 years
Catherine Kavanagh came from Newtownmountkennedy in County Wicklow. She was one of six children and the daughter of a local schoolmaster. Catherine was educated in Newtownmountkennedy at the national school and the Holy Faith Convent. In 1936 she began training as an orthopaedic nurse at St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, Dublin.
