Page 57 - IFAFA ebook v4

21.

Aisling de Búrca and

Monica Nally Hennessy

“Is fearr cara sa chúirt ná ór sa sparán” [Better a friend in Court

than gold in your purse].

We chose to be photographed together as our lives have been

intertwined throughout our time in IFAFA – we served together on

the Committee many years ago, and have kept in touch ever since.

We had happy times on posting together in South Africa, and

became even closer. Little did we think while in Pretoria that

Monica would be back working as a solicitor and that Aisling would

end up working in the Four Courts – 5 minutes away. We have both

also lived in London and New York, although not at the same time,

and we understand each other’s experiences.

Our working lives have been very important to us both, and with a

degree of flexibility and some sacrifice, we have both managed to

maintain our careers to some extent. We will never know what we

might have achieved had we stayed in Ireland, but we both

appreciate the opportunities that we have enjoyed in sharing in

diplomatic life, and were delighted to support our spouses in

promoting Ireland’s interests and caring for the Irish community

abroad.

Being members of IFAFA has supported us throughout, creating

deep bonds of friendship and helping out at times of need. We have

also been able to achieve some assistance for other diplomatic

families facing similar challenges – ní neart go cur le chéile! [Unity

is strength].

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