The poem and painting, The Brown Boot by renowned Cork poet and artist, Deirdre O’Keefe were inspired by Angela’s words

A number of years ago, I met a lovely lady, Angela Sweeney from Passage West. We both volunteered at the Marymount Cancer fundraising shop.  We quickly became friends.  Angela is very funny, and we had some great laughs together.  She is so witty; she would tell us jokes that had us skitting.

But I always felt there was a sadness in her eyes despite her laughter. I knew she had a sad story to be told, and that maybe one day she would tell me when she felt the time was right.

One day I asked her to meet for a coffee before work. The first thing Angela said to me was “I don’t usually announce it, Deirdre, but I have suffered from depression since I was a teenager, but I also refuse to hide it.  I try to let people see me for myself, warts and all, that is why I like to keep going, doing more and more courses to keep the ‘black dog’ away.”

Angela discovered at the age of 65 that she had MDD (Major Depressive Disorder), which she had inherited from her late father. “What a pity I had not been diagnosed earlier, 50 years too late for me really,” she said.  Especially as a young mother, she might have understood the depth of those very dark and lonely days when she did not understand what was wrong with her and could have avoided the days when she almost passed through the Pearly Gates, on a number of confused and frightening sad occasions, not just for her but also for her family who, like herself, were clueless about depression.

She soon learned all she could about this illness and discovered that MDD is very difficult to diagnose.  Angela had a nervous breakdown a few years ago.  It took a long time to get better, but Angela tells me you never really recover fully.  The depression stays dormant, and if you encounter any type of stressful episodes in your life it rears its ugly head, to a point where if you can’t sort out what is causing your stress and anxiety, it becomes debilitating and the person spirals out of control and it can lead to hospitalisation.

“I rarely discuss depression with anyone because one is either seen as preaching to the converted or talking to an ignoramus who thinks you should ‘pull yourself together and snap out of it’.

I am 100% convinced that such remarks are quite possibly the reason for a lot of suicides.”

Mental health issues are so often hidden and neglected.  Thank God I was given the right medication. My prayers have saved me. And, of course, my twice-yearly trips to Medjugorje, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where I find great peace and tranquillity, wonderful to experience, and it’s so beautiful.”

During our coffee, Angela then told me very casually that she had been born disabled. “I don’t speak about that, it’s in the past.” Despite her handicap, I was astonished at her great attitude to life. I asked her would she mind if I wrote a poem about all she had achieved. And that I had an idea for a painting depicting her start in life.  She was surprised but flattered.  She said she would root around in the attic for a folder and I could work away from that.  I was really surprised when I opened the folder to loads of certificates for courses, classes, and teaching.

Angela had started and had run two businesses herself: S.O.S: Sweeney’s Office and Secretarial services, and Exclusive Designs where Angela designed and knitted mohair sweaters to customers’ specifications and had her own premises on the South Mall in Cork city.  She won the title of Designer of the Year for her unique knitwear.  She had a fantastic fashion show at the Passage West Soccer Club, where local ladies modelled 30 of Angela’s hand knitted garments.

Her other achievements include:

  • Completing a course at University College Cork in Computer Science, Technology & Web Design
  • Working for a franchise of the Health Service Executive (HSE)
  • Fully qualified teacher Adult Literacy Classes. Computers and General Literacy
  • Teacher of adult literacy in Carrigaline Community Centre
  • German Language Course at UCC (short course)
  • Pre-school teaching at Cork College of Commerce
  • Munster Manager with Spirit Phone Company
  • Manager at Video Club, Passage West, for 10 wonderful years
  • Secretary in both Shanbally and Passage West National Schools

Angela’s biggest achievement she says was her medal for completing the famous Ladies’ Evening Echo Mini Marathon

Angela’s voluntary commitments include:

  • Penny Dinners
  • Cork Homeless
  • Marymount Hospice Charity Shop
  • Clubfoot Association. Angela was also chosen for the prestigious title, The Irish Ambassador for the Clubfoot Association.

This quote is rather apt when describing Angela.

“There are no limits to what you can achieve in life except the limits you accept in your mind.”

Written by Deirdre O’Keeffe