Tributes paid to Waterford nun, Sr Colette Hickey who passed away aged 108
Sr Colette Hickey who celebrated her 108th birthday recently and was Ireland's oldest person has passed away
Tributes have been paid to a Cork based nun who was originally from Waterford, who has passed away aged 108.
Sr Colette Hickey, who became Ireland's oldest person just a couple of weeks ago, had celebrated her 108th birthday on January 31.
Born Bridget Hickey, in Barracree, Ballinamult, Co Waterford, she joined the Good Shepherd Sisters in Cork City when she was just 17 years of age.
With her pioneering spirit, approximately 50 years ago, Sr. Colette established Edel House, which provides housing and support for women and children experiencing homelessness in Cork.
Continuing her legacy, the house continues to offer invaluable services to those in need.
Through her own commitment and drive, and through the ongoing work of those involved with the charity she founded, St Colette has transformed the lives of an extremely large number of people during her lifetime.
While she has lived away from County Waterford for the majority of her life, the Déise never left her, and she was extremely proud of where she came from.
She grew up at the foot of the Comeragh Mountains and the people of the Touraneena and Ballymacrbry areas in Co Waterford were also very proud of what Sr Colette achieved during her lifetime.
She was also held in extremely high regard among her order, the Good Shepherd Sisters, who described her as a visionary person who planted the seed over 50 years ago for what developed into what is now known as Good Shepherd Cork.
The Good Shepherd order is renowned for its work with homeless women and children, and in St Colette they were blessed with someone who has a pioneering spirit.
Sr Colette lived through an amazing number of Irish and global changes including: 10 popes; 10 Irish Presidents; 15 Taoisigh; World War I; World War II; the Vietnam War; the end of Apartheid in South Africa; the collapse of the Berlin Wall and reunification of Germany; the end of the USSR; the moon landings; the Troubles; the Good Friday Agreement; three distinct Irish currency changes and through the transition of the Irish Free State into a democratic Republic.
From a sporting perspective, she was also one of the few people who lived through and could remember when Waterford won their two All-Ireland senior hurling titles.
Sr Colette was named the very first Cork Person of the Year, in 1993, and was presented with the award by then Taoiseach Albert Reynolds.
Speaking to the Examiner, Cork Person of the Year Award organiser Manus O’Callaghan said: “She’s been a great friend to me since then [1993], because we were walking out of the hotel and I said to her if you ever need any help, let me know. The next morning she rang me, and I ended up sitting on the Edel House committee for the next 20 years."
Sr Jane Murphy, mission leader of Good Shepherd Cork, also paid tribute to Sr Colette and said: "She was deeply loved and respected by everybody. She was a county Waterford woman and she always would say that. But she saw her life in Cork."
