A Laois woman, originally from Stradbally, has been named the Woman’s Way and Beko Mum of the Year.
Esther Kelly-Keating was nominated by her daughter Charlotte and was “a little bit overwhelmed” as the winners were announced at a special lunch at the Thomas Prior Hall in Dublin last week.
The mum of four works as the nursing director in a nursing home and began her medical training aged just 17 in the UK.
She returned to Ireland after meeting her husband and continued to update her nursing qualification while working in a care centre.
In 2008, she returned to university to get her Higher Graduate Diploma in Gerontology from UCD.
She told Women’s Way: “Once I knew that was the field I was going to specialise in I wanted to be best.
“I wanted to have so much knowledge so that I could deliver excellency in care and keep abreast of current and best practice.
“Midwives have the pleasure of bringing people into the world.
“We in gerontology have the great privilege of being with people in their last days, their last hours … It’s not necessarily sad because people are living their last breath. It’s wonderful to help people to have fulfilled lives.”
Esther now lives in Tallaght but she returns regularly to the O’Moore County to catch up with friends and her large family – eight of her ten siblings still live here.
Her brothers Liam and Michael as well as sisters Breda, Rose and Betty all live in Stradbally while Martina resides in Mountrath, Geraldine in Ballinakill and Bernadette in Portlaoise.
After her marriage ended, Esther was in threat of losing the family home. She fought hard to keep her house and succeeded and has since moved into a new place.
It’s evident that challenges are something she relishes – learning to drive, going clubbing and ticking things off her bucket list.
This included travelling to Borneo in 2016 to observe orangutans in their natural habitat.
Esther hopes to go out to volunteer with the animals.
She said: “I think having a challenge keeps you young.
“It keeps your brain healthy. I think when we stop challenging ourselves or pushing ourselves to the limit I think we sort of get older.”
The celebrity judging panel included Norah Casey, Blaithnaid Ni Chofaigh, Alison Canavan, Mary Byrne and Pamela Flood who say they selected Esther because of her amazing courage in adversity and her constant willingness to try something new.
As well as the coveted Dublin Woman’s Way & Beko Mum of the Year crown, Esther won €3,000 worth of Beko home appliances and prizes in excess of €2,500.
The 2017 Woman’s Way Celebrity Mum of the Year was announced as Lucy Kennedy – who is pictured with Esther and her daughter.
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