THE death of former Derrylin District Nurse Ita McTernan has evoked widespread sadness in the Derrylin area.
Ita, who died after a lengthy illness, has been remembered by many of the elderly patients whom she attended over the years as ‘better than any doctor’.
A Derrylin native she was born on 26th December 1949, third in a family of eight of James and Mary McBrien, Cornanoe, and baptised in St Ninnidh’s Church on New Year’s Day,1950.
She attended Aughakillymaude Primary School, progressing to Enniskillen Technical College before training as a nurse in Belfast.
On qualifying in 1969, she worked in the Erne Hospital’s Children’s’ Ward and in Outpatients, before being appointed as District Nurse, covering the wider Derrylin area.
In 1972, she married John McTernan, the couple first living in Enniskillen before moving out to reside at Mullylogan, on the Derrylin Road.
They had two children and in later years enjoyed travelling, visiting relatives as far away as Texas and Toronto.
That sense of care was highlighted by Monday morning’s Requiem Mass celebrant, Monsignor Peter O’Reilly, in St. Michael’s Church, Enniskillen, describing her as, “A counsellor and friend, particularly to those who had no family”.
“For Ita, her’s was a vocation and not just a job, back in the days when there was no what we call Westdoc”.
She is survived by her son, John James (Laura), daughter Grace (Aidan), sister Philomena, brothers, Thomas, Martin, Patrick, Brian, Kevin, grandchildren Eoin, Ava, Erin and aunt, Nancy. Ita was predeceased by her brother .Burial took place at Cross Cemetery.
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