Eleanor an ‘Unsung Hero’

MACE recently ran a community initiative inviting customers and the general public to nominate someone who had gone the extra mile in their local community during the Covid-19 lockdown and were inundated with stories of some amazing good deeds done by people.

Eleanor Lucey from Macroom was nominated by her daughter, Maria, for going over and above to list the spirits of her friend, Gay, who was cocooning in a local nursing home. Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Eleanor visited Gay every week, visits that were a highlight of her week.

Due to restrictions during the lockdown Eleanor couldn’t visit, but found a unique way to stay in touch and keep Gay’s spirits up by recording her playing some of her favourite songs on the guitar.

Maria, when nominating her mother as one of Ireland’s Unsung Heroes for her deeds commented: ‘As Eleanor’s daughter, it has been heart-warming and inspiring to see the effort my mother has gone to as a measure to continue to support her friend in the nursing home.

‘Every week Eleanor would diligently practice a new song. At the end of the week she would get all dressed up in her best attire and make a little recording studio in our living room, going to extreme efforts to make these videos as enjoyable as possible for Gay. I know how this simple act of kindness has made such a difference to her friend Gay.’

As well as receiving a voucher from MACE for her good deed, Eleanor and her fellow MACE Unsung Heroes were treated to a very special video call from MACE Ambassador, Ireland and Lions rugby superstar Johnny Sexton.

MACE’s Unsung Heroes initiative was its way of saying ‘Thank You’ to customers and the surprise calls made by Johnny Sexton were a very welcome boost for the recipients.