Warm tributes for 'fearless' community activist Carmel Mulrine

Like many, many people in Derry and beyond, I was shocked and deeply saddened to learn  of Carmel Mulrine's death, on Mothers’ Day most poignantly.

A beautiful human being, I first got to know Carmel when she worked in Derry City Council’s Healthy Cities project and reached out to the, mainly, mothers in Strathfoyle Women’s Activity Group.

Carmel was the “beloved wife of Jim O'Neill and the inspirational and much loved mother of Gráinne and Maeve. Loving nana of Darragh and Naia. Dearest sister of Sean, Una, Phelim, P.J, Gabriel and Trishie”.

Typical of her vivacious personality, everyone attending Carmel’s wake and funeral was invited to wear bright colours at her request. 

Not long after Carmel moved to Derry she helped set up the Family Planning Association and became its first worker. 

It was around that time that she, along with a number of other pioneering women helped to establish Derry Well Woman which addressed the social and health needs of women in the city and beyond and which has now become an important and strategic hub for women’s health in its building in Queen Street.

Most of Carmel’s working life was within education and the community and voluntary sector whether it be through health, women’s or community development organisations.

Her various roles involved working with National Federation of Youth Clubs, Health Promotion, Environmental Health in Derry City Council, Community Development lecturer in Magee, Derry Healthy Cities and the Children’s Commission in Derry and manager of Ballymagroarty Hazelbank Community Partnership.

Paying tribute to Carmel, Susan Gibson, General Manager of Derry Well Woman Centre, said she had known her for 35 years, as “a colleague, a founding member of Derry Well Women but most of all as a friend”.

Susan added: “Carmel was a profoundly compassionate woman who cared deeply for people and expressed that at both personal and professional levels.”

Zero Waste North West said: “Sadly Carmel Mulrine has left us. But her joy and many good works remain to fill us with joy and inspiration for our inter-generational work.”

The Zero Waste North West Toy Library said: “We  are deeply saddened that Carmel Mulrine is no longer with us. Without her passion, spirit, playfulness, commitment and joy the toy library would not exist.

Tributes were also paid to her by the Staff and Board of Comhlámh, Gaelscoil Na Daróige, Foyle Pride and People Before Profit.