OBITUARY OF MICHELLE O’CURRY, KILDIMO & RAHEEN, LIMERICK 1967 - 2011

The late Michelle faced many battles in her life; she survived cancer as an infant and became totally blind as a result.  At only four years of age, she moved away from home to the school for the blind in Dublin. She was so creative; in school she took to the stage and was a natural performer.  At home in Kildimo, her acting talent continued where she and her sister Susan recorded many plays creating various characters.
In 1986, she was accepted for a degree in business in the University of Wales, but unfortunately this opportunity was hampered because of grant cuts.
She was so intellectual with her fluency in French and never gave up on furthering her education; she paid for a secretarial course and went on to learn German.
When she was eighteen, she set up an interview for herself with one of the local radio stations without mentioning she was blind. On the day of the interview she persuaded her mother to walk her only to the door of the station and she made her own way to the interview room.  She was successful in obtaining a temporary position reading the news.
In 1989 she took the Irish civil service examination competing against sighted people and came first in Ireland.
It was her courage and tenacity that helped her cope with the challenges she met each day of her life.
Michelle was straight talking, if she wanted something done, there was no messing around, it got done. She had a massive personality and brilliant sense of humour.  Even in the face of adversity Michelle had a joke to tell.
She was musical and could play piano and the recorder.  She was technically minded; she could figure out any mobile phone and made us all look like fools. She took pride in her appearance and had a lotion and potion for every day of the week. Michelle was a supportive friend, a great listener of people’s worries. She was superb in handling customer queries in the Limerick social welfare office, where she worked for 20 years.
In 1992, her life changed for the better when she got her first guide dog named "Gracie", who was a villain, we chased that dog so many times up and down the street, "Fifi" was her second dog a good dog and her last dog was "Uffa", so reliable, all were much loved by Michelle.
Throughout Michelle’s life she was always preparing for a journey and packing a suitcase whether she was going away to school in Dublin or changing apartments in Limerick or going to palliative care, she was always on the move.  She was independent, sharp minded and a fighter until the very end, making us all very proud. 
She is unforgettable and will live on in the memories of her mother Joan, her sister Susan and the other O’Curry family, her friends and workmates.  Her life was greatly enriched by the help of the Guide Dog Association and latterly by the care she received at Milford Hospice.
By Susan O’Curry/Nestor
The enclosed photo shows Michelle and her Guide Dog ‘Fifi’.