Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

With great sadness and the heaviest of hearts that on my own behalf and that of Senator Wilson I pay tribute to our great colleague and dear friend, Kate. As Senator Dardis said, Kate needed no other title. Everyone who knew her respected and loved her dearly. Senator Wilson, Kate and I were elected to the Seanad in 2002. Neither he nor I had had the pleasure or honour of knowing her before then but for the past five years, she became the dearest of friends and the most trusted of colleagues. Her wisdom was unbounded and those who knew her are only too aware of the great work she did for charity and her community in Celbridge. We all know of the great event she held every November in Celbridge, the black and white ball which she ran single-handedly. Even as late as last November she was discharged from hospital a couple of days before the ball, but the show went on regardless of how sick Kate was. She regarded the ball as more important than her.

A small group of us would meet after the Order of Business for a cup of tea or coffee and a scone. It is sad to say that the seat Kate took up can never be filled. Senator Wilson and I were privileged last week to receive a call asking us to visit Kate in hospital. We were there on different days but agreed this morning that Kate still made a great effort to make us laugh. As Senator Terry said, one had only to stand beside Kate and she would make one laugh. Last week, in all her terrible pain she wanted to make us laugh. Last Friday, she wanted to keep going. She said her illness would not get the better of her and that she would continue. Sadly, however, the Great Man in the sky had other plans for our Kate. I am glad she did not suffer because the past few weeks were bad for her. She has now returned to her home in heaven where she is reunited with Eugene and Beauty.

For those who did not know Beauty, he was her child, her little dog. We had to buy Christmas presents for Beauty and anyone who called to the house was told to be quiet in case they wakened the child. Beauty, however, would go mad anyway because he knew there was somebody there.

I extend our deepest sympathy to Kate's brother, John, her sisters, Noreen and Ann, and to Marie, her dear friend who was with her almost till the end. Marie had to have a small procedure in hospital and it broke her heart that the minute she left, Kate closed her eyes. We think of Marie in a special way today and of Kate's nieces and nephews whom she adored. I look to the Visitors Gallery and see Adrienne, her secretary, and Deputy Fiona O'Malley, with whom I visited her last Tuesday. Fiona has lost a great ally and adviser. Kate's last words to me on Tuesday were: "Look at Fiona, isn't her hair lovely?" She was a great admirer.

May the great lady rest in peace.