MOURNERS packed a church in west Belfast yesterday for the funeral of a reforming social campaigner who devoted her life to the community during the worst years of the Troubles.
Noelle Ryan (81) died on Saturday in the Northern Ireland Hospice following a short battle with bowel cancer.
Born in 1932 in Blackrock she entered the Siena Convent in Drogheda to become a nun but was later advised to follow a religious path working in the community. A trip to the north in 1972 led her to working for a month in St John's parish.
She decided to stay on and found her vocation opening up education and health services in some of the most deprived area of the city.
She later became a founder of the Springhill Community House where she worked with Fr Des Wilson.
There she helped develop a further education and training centre in a four-bedroomed house at 123 Springhill Avenue.
Mourners, including West Belfast
Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey, gathered at Corpus Christi Church in Bally-murphy yesterday for Requiem Mass for the leading community figure.
Fr Wilson described Noelle Ryan as "our very great friend".
"She was with us for more than 40 years and now it was time to go," he said.
"Noelle worked in England, Ireland, France but it was here in our neighbourhood she found her home. We thank God for that.
"We thank Noelle's extended family for the help and support and all the inspiration and love we have received from them."
Cremation took place later at Rose-lawn Cemetery.
A service will also take place at St John the Baptist church in Black-rock, Dublin, on Saturday.
Ms Ryan's ashes will be interred in Shanganagh Cemetery afterwards.
VOCATION: The funeral of Noelle Ryan moves through Springhill to Corpus Christi Church PICTURES: Mal McCann