Nell Sheehan was a woman of substance who lived her life to its full capacity. It is no exaggeration to describe Nell as pleasant, kind, caring, generous, well motivated, fun loving, hard working and organised.
She had a great insight and understanding into human nature and when she met people she had the gift through her warm and positive energy to leave them feeling better because of having interacted with her.
Both personally and professionally, Nell was very perceptive about people, a great communicator, great with people and a good listener. Impressive to meet, she was a passionate and encouraging supporter of her family, friends, neighbours and patients.
Expertly able to positively motivate people, when the need arose Nell expressed her opinion clearly when a patient advocate was needed. A compassionate and caring woman, Nell was no stranger to acts of kindness and generosity as those who knew her will confirm.
Nell left Glanworth National School to attend Loreto Secondary School, Fermoy and completed her General Nursing and Midwifery education in the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork.
Having worked in Fermoy Community Hospital for a short time, in 1976 she began her Public Health Nurse training in Dublin; registered with An Bórd Altranais and began work as a Public Health Nurse in 1977.
Nell had strong family ties, and during her life she interconnect between private and public while working for many years throughout North Cork, engaging with individuals, families and communities as a Public Health Nurse.
She worked in many areas throughout North Cork during her career including Churchtown Buttevant Liscarroll Doneraile Castletownroche, Ballyhooly, and more recently, Glanworth Kilworth and Araglin.
During her career as a Public Health Nurse, on a daily basis Nell contributed to providing and supporting health care for the people with her wealth of nursing knowledge, skills and experience. In her work, Nell witnessed society go through some of the greatest changes with their outcomes and impacts on lives and the services at first hand.
QUANTUM SHIFT IN COMMUNICATION
In a time of great technological advances, Nell saw a quantum shift in communication by landline phones checked once a day, and nursing calls referred by hand written letter to a situation where an instant response was required from mobile phone calls, texts, emails and scans, on PCs and laptops.
Nell often said that she didn’t like the changes but in practice, she was always at the frontline of medical advances and technology as they impacted on the best care and treatment of her patients. She took on and efficiently managed, the most complex care of sick and dependent children and adults.
Nell was a good colleague and was first to offer, help and give support to people if she saw that someone was in need without ever being asked. Colleagues would say that if a dilemma arose and had to be solved, Nell was the person to give sound and practical advice.
Nell was preceptor for the practice placement of many student nurses studying in UCC and UCD including from General, Midwifery, Gerontology and Public Health divisions at all qualification levels.
These nurses now work in diverse areas of the health services and in recent times, many have remarked on what a great teacher Nell was for them and how much they learnt from her.
While she witnessed challenging times, there were many happy times, laughs and fun. She saw all sides of human situations and I often think, if told, John B Keane would be challenged as truth can really be stranger than fiction.
Taking early retirement six years ago was just ending one part of her life and beginning a new chapter of joy and happiness. In her retirement, it was clearly evident that Nell discovered and enjoyed a newfound time, freedom, routine and renewed appreciation of what life is really about with Noel, her family and friends.
Nell had a deep sense of being Irish, and a huge knowledge of the history of both time and place. Travel was on her agenda and not just holidays abroad but throughout Ireland. Nell compared and contrasted travel destinations like any expert and in this, could relate the family’s travel experiences better that the best travel consultant and gave colourful insights into the people and places, not forgetting the delights of the various cuisines.
Clearly she had a wonderful sense of taste because food was a significant factor in her life and she loved cooking. Being very socialable, she naturally filled the role of hostess and liked having people sample what she had cooked while ensuring the good recipes were recommended and shared.
Nell was a very artistic person. Her passion for gardening, flowers, art, literature, ceramics and more recently photography, reflected this. Her love of fashion was unquestionable and she was naturally fond of glamour, be it clothes, jewellery, bags or shoes. This was evident in her own unique sense of style which was apparent at all times.
Nell found and developed great friendships throughout her life and kept them up over the years and regularly met up with lots of her friends. A great raconteur, she shared funny, insightful and beautiful memories with many of us and these memories will remain in our hearts and minds.
Of course the love of her family was always at Nell’s core and I believe that there was nothing within her power she would not do for her husband Noel, her children Joanne, Bill, Elaine, James and their families. Of course her beloved sister Anna and her brother Jack and their families are included in this, as they were very close to her. Indeed Nell really enjoyed the time she spent with her grandchildren which gave her a personal insight and aspect of childcare to enhance her vast professional knowledge as she had worked with babies and children all her life.
CHALLENGE
Nell retired while she was healthy, well and happy and then she regularly visited the sick people in Fermoy Community Hospital and other hospitals. She became a volunteer driver for friends and neighbours receiving radiotherapy treatment in Cork University Hospital.
Unfortunately ill health prevailed two years ago, but this challenge which she had witnessed in her work more than most, appeared to make Nell an even stronger woman as in her deeply religious way, she accepted God’s will, threw back her shoulders and lived through every day left to her to the full extent of her ability.
She acknowledged with gratitude those who assisted her during this time. One could only be full of admiration for Nell’s tenacity and strength in this.
A large number of people from far and near and friends from all stages of her life, turned out in Glanworth to pay tribute and their respects to Nell at her removal in Lahern and at the funeral Mass in the Church of the Holy Cross, Glanworth on Saturday, July 2, 2016.
Nell will be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by all who knew her and were privileged and richer to have known her. There is a void and our hearts are full of sadness at her loss.
Our sympathies go out to her bereaved and much loved husband Noel, her adoring children Joanne, Bill, Elaine and James; her sister Anna, her brother Jack, the members of her family, her neighbours and her many friends. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.
M O’F
