An Irish missionary nun is to receive a Presidential
Distinguished Service Award for her lifetime of work in Sierra Leone and
her courageous efforts in co-ordinating a response to the 2014 Ebola
outbreak there.
Sr Mary Sweeney, a Sister of St Joseph of Cluny and a
native of Co. Donegal, has worked for over 40 years in the most
challenging conditions in Sierra Leone.
Equal to all challenges
encountered, the sister was instrumental in the establishment of St
Joseph’s School for the Hearing Impaired in Makeni, located three hours
north of the capital, Freetown.
The school today caters to the needs of 220 students and
has offered education, skills training and life opportunities to
countless young people.
Mettle
Sr Mary showed her true mettle in the 1990s when, with the
outbreak of the brutal civil war, she remained in Makeni, even when
rebel fighters commandeered St Joseph’s.
Later, with the spread of the
deadly Ebola virus across West African nations, Sr Mary again refused to
quit Makeni, and worked tirelessly to gain and distribute badly needed
supplies to the most vulnerable.
Through her efforts, international
attention became focused in Sierra Leone’s plight, while supporters in
Ireland and Britain responded to her call for assistance.
The President Awards ceremony takes place in December.