1934-2025
Born: 9th May 1934
Entered Religious Life: 7th February 1955
Died: 15th August 2025
Eileen Mary Bernadette Durack, known to her family as Evelyn, daughter of Patrick and Eileen Durack, Portroe, Co Tipperary, was born on 9th May 1934. She entered the Religious Sisters of Charity in Milltown on 7th February 1955 and made her First Profession on 13th August 1957.
After her profession Eileen Mary trained as a nurse in St Vincent’s Hospital, St Stephen’s Green. Following this, she trained for midwifery in Walthamstow, England and returned to St Vincent’s Hospital for theatre experience before being missioned to Zambia in 1962. Eileen nursed in Choma, Ndola and Namwala hospitals taking on the role of Nursing Officer in Ndola and Choma. Having spent 20 years in Zambia, she returned to Ireland for a sabbatical, and following the sabbatical was missioned once again to Zambia as Matron in Chikuni Hospital.
A Sister from Zambia, who had worked with Eileen in the early days in Chikuni Hospital, visited her in the Nursing Home the week before she died and Eileen was over-joyed to see her. Sister reminded her that many years ago as matron she was such a wonderful and kind mentor to herself as a young fledgling nurse. She recalled how Eileen had a special interest in the welfare of the mothers and babies and how, in the spirit of Mary Aikenhead, she would always try and find employment for those who had no work. She would also go out of her way to visit the outlying clinics to make sure that the patients there, who had travelled far distances on foot, had the necessary medication.
In all, Eileen spent 32 years in ministry in Zambia and in 1995 she returned to Ireland where she spent several years as community leader in the Baldoyle, Cappagh and Marmion House communities. Eileen also served as Provincial Leader for the Irish Province from 1999 to 2005. On completion of her time as Provincial, she spent several years as Pastoral worker for the women in St Margaret’s Centre, Donnybrook.
In 2018 Eileen’s health was failing and she required extra care, so she was transferred to Loyola Nursing Home and when this facility closed, she moved to Beechlawn Nursing Home in 2020.
Sr Eileen Mary was known for her kind, gentle, and dignified presence. She had the deepest respect for everyone she met and her radiant smile made everyone feel so accepted. If one brought a prayer request to Eileen for someone who was sick, she was sure to remember to pray for that person and would always enquire about their well-being on subsequent visits. She had a special devotion to Our Lady and loved to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes and Knock. Her family related that when they were children, she would always bring back holy cards and religious objects to them. How fitting it was then that Eileen died on the beautiful feast of Our Lady’s Assumption, our Congregation’s special feast day.
Eileen had a very deep love for her family and they for her. She never missed their First Communions, Confirmations, birthdays and weddings. Her grandnieces and nephews always affectionately called her Nana Evelyn which says much about her personality and her relationship with them.
We pray that Sr Eileen Mary, after her long life of gentle loving service is now enjoying, with her family and friends, the eternal love and peace of the Risen Lord Jesus in her heavenly home. Amen.
