
1931-2024
Born: 05/09/1931
Entered Religious Life: 7th July 1958
Died: 13/12/2024
Sr Marie Gerard, known as Eileen to her family and friends died on 13th December 2024 at the age of 93. Her life began in Ballygawley, Co Tyrone where she was born on 5th September, 1931 to Patrick McGirr and Mary McSorley and named Ellen Frances. She had two siblings Anna and Packie (Patrick) both deceased. She had a great love for her family, friends and neighbours in Ballygawley and loved to return there to visit. They in turn visited Gerard on many occasions, visits which she loved.
It was there, in her homeplace of Ballygawley, that her life of faith began, and was nurtured. After school, she trained as a Nurse and Midwife in Belfast’s Mater Hospital. She left her career in nursing and her life in the North of Ireland when she answered the call on 7th July, 1958 to give her life totally to God through the Congregation of the Religious Sisters of Charity. She was 27 at that time.
For the following 30 years she held various responsible positions in nursing which included St Vincent’s Hospital, Stephen’s Green, as Ward Sister from 1961–1965; in Uromi, Nigeria as Ward Sister from 1965-1966; nursing in St Vincent’s, Stephen’s Green, in 1966. After a short four months there she was sent to Zambia as Ward Sister in Mazabuka, from 1966 to 1970; from Mazabuka she was missioned to Maamba Mine Clinic as Sister in Charge from 1970 to 1973; from there she was missioned to Chikuni as Local Leader/Matron from 1973 to 1976; from Chikuni she was missioned as nurse to Ndola from 1976 to 1977. After just three months in Ndola, Zambia she was missioned to Nigeria, to take on the role of Matron and Local Leader in Uromi from 1977 to 1986. She was then appointed Regional Leader in Nigeria based in Festac from 1986 to 1992.
When her term of office as Regional Leader ended, she returned to Ireland for a sabbatical and was then appointed Local Leader in St Patrick’s Convent, Cork from 1994 to 2000. She was then missioned to Providence in Merrion where she assisted the Mission Effectiveness team in Merrion, visited the residents in Loyola and St Oliver’s Nursing Homes, and helped in the sacristy in St Mary’s Convent Chapel.
It is easy to list the places and positions Sr Marie Gerard held over the years. They tell us something of her sense of responsibility, commitment and availability, saying yes to the assignments she was asked to take on. Wherever she was sent she offered to all, the same care and attention to those with whom she worked and lived.
Sr Marie Gerard McGirr had great devotion to St Gerard Majella, patron saint of mothers, expectant mothers, and childbirth and she encouraged young mothers in her care, to pray to him for a safe delivery of their children. We will never know all the good that Gerard did in her life but one Sister of Charity, Sr Geraldine Hamukale, present at her funeral, was safely delivered into life by Gerard.
Sr Marie Gerard’s relationship with Jesus was her sustaining power. It was to Him she went with her troubles and her thanks for the graces she received. The Lord was indeed her Shepherd in whom she trusted.
A little more than three years ago it became clear that she needed more care than the sisters could provide in community and so she graciously accepted the move to Beechlawn Nursing Home, Grace Park Road, Drumcondra where the staff cared lovingly for her and were very fond of her.
Sr Phyllis remembered one afternoon in September last (2024), when she sat with Gerard out in the garden in the sun. Phyllis opened her phone to show Gerard some photographs and Gerard spotted the prayer card of Mary Aikenhead in the flap of the phone. She pointed to it and said ‘I know her’. It was a lucid moment for Gerard. Phyllis offered her the card of Venerable Mary Aikenhead. Gerard held it in her hands and said ‘I need her with me’.
No doubt Mary Aikenhead was very close to Gerard and she to her, right up to her last moments. Sadly, Gerard suffered a severe stroke on Thursday 5th December 2024 and was admitted to St. Brigid’s Ward in the Mater Hospital. The staff there were very attentive to her and the Sisters in her community of Providence and Shalom, as well as some sisters who had known her in her earlier life visited her and kept vigil until she slipped away peacefully on the 13th December 2024.
May she rest now in peace with Mary Aikenhead, with all her loved ones and the many Sisters of Charity who have gone before her