Marion O'Mara will be remembered as one of the South-East's fearless champions
Ralph Riegel, Marion O'Mara and Helen Coughlan at Marion's retirement back in April 2019. Photo: Joe Evans
The death of Marion O'Mara has robbed Waterford and the south-east of one of its most fearless champions.
It is perhaps fitting that my most recent memory of Marion was of her meeting Prince Charles in Waterford's City Hall in March 2022 - a true meeting of Deise and British royalty as I joked with her later.
Marion was already a respected journalist when I joined The Waterford News & Star almost 40 years ago - I was fresh out of college and, not surprisingly, young, naive and still wet-behind-the-ears.
Peter Doyle was editor and the newsroom - then located on Waterford industrial estate before the wise move to Michael Street and the city centre - was filled with youngsters like myself, Richard Dowling and Michael Quinn Jnr.
Paul O'Neill - who would go on to become editor of The Irish Times - had just departed for The Cork Examiner.
Helen Coughlan, Justine O'Mahony and other talented youngsters would later arrive in the News & Star.
In the 1980s, Marion had fearlessly helped spearhead investigative stories about money lending that sparked legislative changes.
She ranked as one of the most respected regional journalists in the country.
Straight-talking, courageous and a lady who didn't tolerate bluff, Marion was also kind, generous and highly protective of her younger colleagues.
In many ways, she was a 'mammy' to us all - quick to praise when we got things right but equally prompt to ensure we learned from our mistakes.
The lessons she kindly taught us stood every one of us in good stead over the years to come.
I attended Marion's retirement party in Davy Mac's a few years back and the great turnout on the night underlined just how highly her colleagues across many decades thought of her.
Over her career, Marion was a champion in print not just for Waterford but for the south east though, to be honest, Tramore was always closest to her heart.
Waterford hasn't just lost a great journalist but a fearless champion.
However, the loss to Waterford pales compared to that of her husband, Jim, daughter, Jennifer, grandchildren Niamh and Aoife, and her extended family and friends.
May she rest in peace.
