Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 253
D.O.B. 10.05.1919
First Profession: 06.04.1953
Died: 01.06.2006 Aged: 87 years
Josephine Flood came from a farming family in Ballyhist, Kells, Co. Meath. She had four brothers and one sister. Josephine was very short of stature and physically challenged from the time she was a child, but in spite of the restrictions that her physical disability placed on her, she did her best to live as full a life as possible. Before joining MMM in 1949, at the age of 31, Josephine had worked at a presbytery for some time and had clerical and secretarial experience. When she entered MMM, Josephine took the name Sr. Mary Carmela.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No. 475
D.O.B. 28 11 1935
First Profession 03 10 1961
Died: 31.12.2001 Aged: 66 years
Born in Limerick, Veronica (Vera) Fitzgerald was one of eight children. After leaving school, she worked for a short time as a draper’s assistant in a local Limerick store before joining MMM, aged 22. After initial formation in Clonmel and Drogheda, she went on to study medicine in University College Dublin, graduating in 1966. She returned to Drogheda and worked in the hospital in surgery, paediatrics and obstetrics until 1969. Sr. Vera, known at this time as Sr. M. Flannan, then went to Portugal for language study and from there to Angola. She served mostly in Chiulo Hospital and for long periods worked with only one other doctor.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No. 228
D.O.B. 09.06.1909
First Profession: 17.03.1952
Died: 21.11.2004 Aged: 95 years
Mary Agnes Fay was born in Belfast where she was educated and lived until 1919 when her family moved to Dublin. After secondary school, Mary Agnes undertook a commercial course at Gregg College and then worked at Brown Brothers for seventeen years. She then worked at Dublin Lucan Dairies and at McCairns Motors Ltd.
Nationality: British
Congregational Register No: 213
D.O.B. 08.07.1920
First Profession: 08.09.1951
Died: 08.01.2008 Aged: 87 years
Barbara Joyce Faulkner was born in London, England. She came from a Church of England background but was educated in a Catholic convent school in Canterbury, Kent. From June 1936 until the outbreak of WWII in September 1939, Barbara was employed as a shorthand typist. She then spent a few months at a first aid post before beginning her nursing training in Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham, in February of 1940. This was also the year that Barbara was received into the Catholic Church.
Sister Constantia was born Brigid Faul in Mullacrew, Louth, Ireland, in 1933. One of four children, she attended Louth Village Primary School and completed her secondary education at the Saint Louis Convent in Carrickmacross. She joined MMM in 1952. After profession she worked in the laundry in Drogheda for five years, first in the sorting and packing room and then in the office. She did this while attending bookkeeping and typing classes at night in the Drogheda Technical School.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 66
D.O.B. 22.08.1922
First Profession: 08.09.1944
Died: 18.06.1986 Aged: 64 years
Baptised Anna Mary, from Dromard, Co Leitrim, Sr. Columba entered on 24 October 1941. Following profession, she did midwifery training in Drogheda and then staffed in the maternity hospital for three years. In 1952, she started general nurse training in St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 286
D.O.B. 26.12.1922
First Profession: 08.09.1953
Died: 28.03.2006 Aged: 83 years
Brigid Farrell was born in Streamstown, Co. Longford to a farming family. She was one of six children – five girls and one boy. Brigid entered MMM at the age of 28 years, having previously worked as a housekeeper to a lady in Dublin, and took the name Sr. Mary Sarto.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No. 49
D.O.B.: 18.05.1921
First Profession 08.09.1943
Died: 02.01.2009 Aged: 87 years
Rose Teresa Farrell was born in Lackagh, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan. She had two brothers and one sister. Shortly after completing her education in Castleblaney, she entered MMM at age nineteen, taking the name Sr. Mary Michael.
Sr. Agnes Maria, born in Anua, Uyo, Nigeria, could be described as a pioneer. She qualified as a teacher, but having been inspired by Mother Mary Martin, whom she had met in Nigeria, she came to Ireland in 1953 with Veronica Akpan, who became the first MMM from Africa.
Sister Jean was born Elaine Eason in Buffalo, New York, USA in 1941. She attended school in Gardenville and Buffalo, New York, graduating from Mount Mercy Academy High School. Throughout her time in MMM she remained in contact with several Sisters of Mercy who taught her.
She met the Medical Missionaries of Mary while at school and joined in 1959. She chose the name Jean Clare at her Reception, a sign of her love for her parents.
