AN 84-YEAR-OLD woman from Cork donated over €170,000 to a local hospice when she died.
Catherine Courtney died in July last year and the donation to Marymount Hospice was made yesterday by Fine Gael Senator Colm Burke who was one of the executors of her will.
The senator says that Courtney had been a long time client of his legal office and that the money left to the hospice totalled €173,668.
He says he thinks Courtney may not have been aware exactly how much she was leaving to the hospice but was clear where she wanted the money to go.
“She was a lovely lady,”says Burke. “She was adamant that some of her will would go towards the hospice.
He adds that Courtney had never been a resident in the hospice and, despite making a number of changes to her will, Marymount was always part of it. She had been living in a local council estate when she died.
Catherine Courtney had been married to Michael Courtney who was a well known community worker in the area. Catherine’s sister had also married Michael’s brother but Catherine was the last surviving member of the four in-laws.
Her and her husband had no children but she did after a number of other siblings.
Marymount Hospice at Curraheen on the edge of Cork city has 44 palliative care beds as well as 63 elderly care beds.
The hospice was originally founded in 1870 but moved to is current location in 2011.
Burke says that any donations are appreciated by the hospice which estimates a yearly shortfall on day-to-day costs of about €600,000.
He adds that Courtney’s example shows how helpful it can be to leave some money to a charity.
“As a solicitor it just shows the importance of including some charity in your will, we can’t take it with us.”
“Even five hundred or a thousand can make a real difference. They all add up.”
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