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A Life of Mercy Honoured: Sr. Mary Lucey Receives Zambia’s Highest Civilian Award
Sister Mary Lucey, a native of Rathcoole, County Cork, has been awarded Zambia’s highest honour, the President’s Insignia of Mercy, in recognition of her decades of humanitarian and educational work in the country.
After graduating UCC with a Bsc. in science and education, Sr. Mary taught in Dingle and then Millstreet for 4 years after the Community School opened. In 1990 Sr. Mary went to Kenya for a few months and absolutely loved it there, before answering the call to missionary life in Zambia as a member of the Presentation Sisters. She originally planned on going for 3 years which ended up being 31 years!
Her work in Zambia included:
• Organising the shipment of bicycles, sewing machines, and supplies from Ireland to help families start small businesses.
• Procuring seeds during famine to ensure food security when the rains returned.
• Helping to build a pre-school, which laid the foundation for early childhood education in the region.
• Supporting the creation of a model village, providing homes, farmland, and clean water access for families.
Sr. Mary returned to Kerry in 2023 and came to the Presentation Convent in Castleisland. She said that it’s a big change to be back in Ireland but at 81 years of age
Sr. Mary is still actively working as she is still planning to support the projects she was involved in by doing some fundraising in Castleisland in the coming months.
Sr. Mary has now been a member of the Presentation Sisters for 60 years, having celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 2015, she has dedicated herself
to uplifting communities through education, sustainability, and compassion.
The award was presented on Africa Day (May 25) by President Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka. Although Sr. Mary could not attend in person, the medal was accepted on her behalf by fellow sisters and has is en route to be presented to her at her residence in the Presentation Convent in Castleisland, Co. Kerry.
Sr. Mary’s legacy continues to inspire, reflecting a life of service, humility, and unwavering commitment to those most in need.
Sr. Mary said it was a great honour to receive such an award and all the work she did was for the sake of the people in Zambia. She said she was always so well supported from the convent and from home where different fundraisers were organised locally and her sister Ann & brother in law Tadgh O’Flynn were always a great support in these fundraisers.
