News from Carrickmacross

Margaret McGovern, nee Birdy, is a well-known member of the Birdy Family of Carrick’s Shercock Road who now lives and works in Jersey in the Channel Islands. She was presented with an MBE in January for her services to the hospice movement and for her community work over the past twenty-five years. Margaret’s MBE citation citation read ?for outstanding commitment to her patients and for going far beyond the call of duty as a nurse’.

Margaret gathered with family and friends and local Town Councillors and officials at Carrickmacross Workhouse on the Shercock Road for the Civic Reception in her home town on Tuesday and only 100 yards from the house in which she was born and reared. The Civic reception was proposed at the May meeting of the council by Cllr Padraig McNally seconded by Cllr PJ O’Hanlon.

In welcoming Margaret back to Carrickmacross Mayor PJ O’Hanlon said: ‘This is a great occasion for us. Its always great when one of our own achieves so well. It is a very very proud occasion for us as a Town Council and for all the people here today. I want to congratulate Margaret on achieving her MBE. It is a fantastic honour for you and for your family because of your commitment and dedication and for going well beyond the call of duty so that the sick can get the very best service possible.? Mayor O’Hanlon also used the opportunity to thank the Carrickmacross Hospice Association for the wonderful work that it also does locally in a similar capacity.

The Mayor said that he had learned that Margaret first got involved in the voluntary sector whilst a student at the St Louis Secondary School in Carrickmacross. ‘From a very early age you had a great interest in helping those who were not able to help themselves. Along with Francie Cassidy as teenagers you started off the Holy Family School in Carrickmacross which is now a very successful school in Cootehill. Long may you be involved in the work that you do and on my behalf, on behalf of the council and the people of Carrickmacross I congratulate you. Thank you for the great honour you have brought on this town.’

Having thanked the Mayor for his kind words, as Gaeilge, Margaret McGovern MBE then addressed the gathering. She pointed out that she was born only a short distance away and was brought up in a very secure loving family home. ‘At home within the family and after my father died when Michael took care of us we all looked after each other. I think that that was not only where I learned lessons about the real values of life and the work ethic but where Michael instilled his manta of ‘Get to your books’ something that I found repeating to my children many years after that,’ said Margaret. She then added: ‘To have my hospice work acknowledged and honoured I this way came as a great surprise in Jersey but I’m delighted to be home and to be recognised. This award is definitely not just for my personal success. It’s for my family and for the people I came from. Thank you very much indeed.’

Margaret’s brother Mickey, a former member of the then Carrickmacross Urban District Council then address the gathering. ‘On behalf of my family we are very grateful to you for honouring Margaret in this way because it is an honour for the family as well and I thank you for it. On Carrick Town Council you have a special position in the times that are in it because don’t forget that you are the people in touch with the grass roots. Its important to keep in touch with the weaker sections of our community and bring about change. I wish you the very best and thank you very much. Margaret was then invited to sign the Distinguished Visitors Book with Mayor O’Hanlon who then presented Margaret McGovern MBE with a cut glass vase to mark the occasion.