All those who knew her were deeply saddened by the recent death of Bernie Smyth. Her death at a comparatively young age seems, in our human way of thinking, untimely.

However, God doesn’t think the way we do. God obviously thought that Bernie was ready for heaven, and so she was for the good life she lived. She gave unstinting and truly selfless service to our community in Ringsend for a very long number of years.

I only had the privilege of working with Bernie in one of her enterprises and that was the Active Age week which we worked on together with many other people for several years.

The thing I couldn’t help noticing about Bernie in those years was that while many people (including myself I have to confess) were doing a lot of talking, Bernie had very little to say, she just got on with doing what needed to be done. She was a worker, not a talker. That’s why I called Bernie ‘the silent worker’.

Apart from Active Age Week, Bernie’s list of activities is very impressive indeed. She was treasurer of The Cambridge Court Committee for about twenty years. She helped to organize, prepare and serve the annual Christmas dinner for the residents.

She also helped with the organization and management of the annual summer outing for the residents. Week in and week out all the year round she collected donations from the patrons of the Yacht Tavern so that every elderly patron of the Yacht from the Court received a Christmas box every year.

With whatever money was left over, with the help of Bob and Monica, she organised a social night in the Yacht for the same elderly patrons around Christmas time.

At the time of the terrible Tsunami, with a number of other people she organized and ran a sale of work and a coffee morning to help the victims. Between the two ventures she and her co-workers raised an astonishing €1,000.

Every year for years, she helped with Angela Murphy’s coffee morning for Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross. Bernie also played a part in the setting up of Ringsend Active Retirement Association in the CYMS which has been a tremendous success since its inception and is still going strong.

A very dear and close friend of Bernie who knew her and worked with her for over twenty years, told me that she never once heard her speak ill of anyone. When someone was being condemned by others for something, Bernie would always try to come up with some kind of understanding or excuse for what they had done. That’s the kind of person Bernie was, kindly and non-judgemental. Her friend I mentioned described Bernie to me as a Saint.

I will always remember Bernie as a quiet, gentle and lovable person and she was indeed much loved. She will be sadly missed by those close to her in this life. We extend our sincere sympathy to her loving family and her close friends.

God rest her good soul and give her the reward of all her goodness.

May she rest in peace.

Above Bernie pictured with former Lord Mayor Catherine Byrne.