Kathleen hails from Oldfort. She was born in 1933 and began her studies in Canovee N.S. From there she went to Drishane Convent School. After her Leaving she studied at U.C.C. before joining the Munster & Leinster Bank. She won Ashbourne Camogie medals with UCC and continued to play Camogie and Hockey at Senior level while working in Dublin.

All that was to change when she came home one Christmas and announced she was about to enter the Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa. The Order had been founded by Mother Kevin to work exclusively in Africa, after her noviciate and profession in Mount Oliver, Dundalk she was sent back to U.C.C. to study Medicine. On graduation she did post-graduate studies in Paediatrics in England. After her mother's death in 1969 she left for Africa, where she has been ever since.

For 25 years she worked in the Order's hospital at Nsambya, in the Ugandan Capital of Kampala. During that time the city changed hands violently three time as successive Dictators overthrew their rivals - Milton Obote, Idi Amin and the current leader, Musevini. In one of these episodes the rival armies shot at one another for four days through the hospital grounds, while the Sisters operated on and tended the wounded from both sides.

25 years on, after finishing her time as Regional Superior she was sent to Loyola University in Chicago to study for a Counselling Degree. One of the main factors in this decision was the Aids situation in the country. So many parents were dying with the disease that very often they were left with elderly grandparents and small children. Family life was shattered.

The same was true of their Mission in Kenya, so on returning to Africa she was appointed to work in a huge slum on the outskirts of the Kenyan Capital, Nairobi. It's the largest of its kind in East Africa, with over one million people. As well as doing her medical work in the slum three days a week she spends two days a week counselling and lecturing in the Amani Counselling Centre in Nairobi. Many weekends she travels to various parts of the country with a team giving counselling courses.

Kathleen is but one of a number of girls of her time in Canovee who dedicated their lives to the poorest of the poor. Let's hope some, at least, of the present crop will be motivated to take up the challenge and follow where they have gone.

Oh who has a blade for a splendid cause?
Who has a heart that is true?
To live and fight for the grandest thing
That man could dream or singer sing
Or ever soldier knew!