News

'Brilliant' St Mary's lecturer Dr Madeleine Lombard passes away

Dr Madeleine Lombard was a senior lecturer at St Mary's College University, Belfast.
Dr Madeleine Lombard was a senior lecturer at St Mary's College University, Belfast. Dr Madeleine Lombard was a senior lecturer at St Mary's College University, Belfast.

A LECTURER who taught at St Mary's University College in Belfast for more than 25 years has passed away.

Dr Madeleine Lombard, a senior English lecturer at the college, died suddenly on Tuesday.

A spokesman from St Mary's Students Union expressed sympathy on behalf of the college for their "esteemed friend and colleague".

"Her warmth and sympathy, tempered by her ready wit, were greatly valued and appreciated by her colleagues and generations of students alike," said Dr Brian Hanratty.

Tributes were also paid to Dr Lombard on social media with posts from former students including one describing her as a "brilliant lecturer and fantastic lady" while another noted she had "amazing enthusiasm for her job".

Head of History at St Mary's Dr Brian Feeney explained that his colleague's death had come "out of the blue completely".

"She was highly respected by the staff and students alike. I think there is a great deal of distress, amongst the girls particularly who would have been taught English by her and due to her interest in drama."

In addition to her work in English at the college Dr Lombard, a mother of three, was also heavily involved in drama.

Outside the college she was also involved in Rathmore Grammar School as the college representative for the school's careers programme and involved in international outreach with The University of Baia Mare in Romania as a result of a Comenius programme involving several European universities.

Dr Lombard is survived by her husband Michael, daughter Anna and sons Peter and John.

Her funeral will take place today from her home in Lambeg for 11am Requiem Mass at St Anne's Church, Kingsway Dunmurry.