Sr Hannah died on the 2^nd of November 2025 at St Michael’s Care, Westgate-on-Sea, at the age of 90, having been a religious sister for 66 years.

A requiem Mass will be celebrated for her at 11 a.m. at Holy Family Church, Birchington, followed by internment at Margate cememtery.

Hannah was born on the 3^rd of February 1935 in Glenville, County Cork, Ireland.

She was the second eldest of a large family and grew up in a happy and devout family on the home farm.  Eary in life she learnt to help with the daily household and farm tasks, as well as being a keen student at the local school.  Here she enjoyed learning and play, and at any celebration she would be among the first on the floor for the Céilís.

On leaving school Hannah felt called to follow her aunt to England .  Here she worked in the presbytery in Welling where she needed no initiation into the domestic duties asked of her.  She settled happily despite the initial adjustments to a new environment and culture.

In 1956 Hannah joined the Daughters of Jesus whom she had come to appreciate in the local community of Welling.  She was admitted to the formation house in Brittany, France, where she was delighted to discover similarities between the Irish and the Breton Celtic language, so  conversations could be exchanged!

Returning to England, Hannah, now Sr Mary Brigid, was made welcome as she returned to Welling and took on the task of laundry and assistant cook for the community and school. Ten years later saw her move to High Wycombe where she broadened her skills, including learning to drive. During this time Hannah’s quiet ways met the different situations of life with practical common sense and her wonderful sense of humour proved a valuable gift.

In 1976 Hannah joined the community in Rickmansworth where she undertook the City and Guilds studies in cookery, as well as visiting lonely and needy parishioners.  Six years later her generous service to community, and parish in Westgate-on-Sea, were requested .   Her cheerful  presence  was an uplift and joy for the community, as well as to the housebound where she visited and took Holy Communion.

By 1988 Sr Hannah was offered a sabbatical year and chose to join a renewal course in Milltown, Dublin.  Besides opportunities to renew links with family, Hannah profited of visits to other cultural and historic sites in her own country, as well as enjoying the different courses on offer at the College.  When she returned it was to Blakenhall, Rickmansworth, until she was called again to the seaside house in Westgate, as a devoted carer of the community, practical housekeeper, driver and “Jack”, or should we say “Gill” of all trades.  She also maintained her ministry to the sick and housebound.

Alongside these community and parish duties, Hannah maintained a deep love for her family and country. She and her sister Margaret often travelled home together with the occasional disagreement regarding the timing or the wisdom of travelling – for one or the other!  Since neither of them was very good at decision making, the trip was put “on the long finger” until eventually the holiday was planned and went ahead amicably!  Despite deteriorating health in the latter years at Westgate, Hannah’s cheerful service never flagged.  She was always thoughtful for others and a pleasure to be with. When ill health halted her activities, Hannah joined other sisters in St Michael’s Care where she was lovingly cared for by staff and supported by the visits and phone calls of family and friends.

 If Hannah occasionally appeared a bit slow to do something that was obvious to others, her reply in the broad Cork accent that she never lost, was “Well, I’m in a process …” (and so it was that in the “process” the hip operations were long delayed…)!

We joked at her “process” philosophy but, in fact, and underlying it, was a deeply spiritual attitude to life.  With each stage of “ process” God would be with her, and she would be given the graces needed to “walk the way”.  In that faith, hope, and love, we give thanks for her life and offer her back to the Lord.  Amen.