Papal honour for Ballina woman

A County Mayo born accountant, who has worked for the past 40 years in Dublin, has been honoured by Pope Benedict XVI. 

Dr Margaret Downes who is a native of Ballina, County Mayo was conferred with the honour of Dame Commander of the Order of St Gregory by the Pope recently and in so doing becoming only the fourth Irish woman to receive the honour since the order was set up in 1831. 

Dr Downes is currently chairperson of Saint Mary's parish pastoral council on Haddington Road Dublin and she received the award in recognition of her work for Saint Mary's parish and the Dublin Archdiocese where she has served on numerous committees over the past 40 years. 

The Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin made the conferral at a special ceremony in Saint Mary's Church on Haddington road recently. 

Dr Downes, a chartered accountant by profession, made history in the 1970's when she became the first ever woman member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland and she later went on to become its first ever woman president.

by Sean Ryan