Tribute: Frances Guckian – ‘a woman dedicated to her work and community and a wonderful mother’

“A woman of vision who lived life to the full, dedicated to her work and her community and also a wonderful mother to her one and only heartbroken daughter” – that is how Frances Guckian is remembered by all who were fortunate enough to have known her. Her sudden and unexpected death on December 11 sent shock waves through the local community and much further afield.

Frances was a dedicated professional who was willing to share her knowledge for the benefit of others. She also worked tirelessly with voluntary groups and on community projects that were aimed at improving life for the people of Mullingar.

Born in County Leitrim, Frances lived there for a few years before moving to Mullingar as a young child with her parents and her two brothers, but Frances was always a Leitrim woman through and through and she would visit the county of her birth as often as possible.

When Frances moved to Mullingar, she attended Presentation School and Loreto College and made lifelong friends at both. She went on to study at St Vincent’s Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin and qualified as a general nurse before moving to Stirling in Scotland, where she trained as a midwife.

Frances loved to travel and her nursing career afforded her the opportunity to do just that while furthering her career at the same time. She worked in the UK, in Arizona in the United States, and in Saudi Arabia, before she returned and settled in Ireland, and she made great friends along all stages of her travels.

As an astute business woman, Frances realised that there was an opening for a training facility in Mullingar, and in 1991 she set up Impact Training Consultants offering courses in pre-nursing, nurse aide, health care, first aid responder, CPR, patient moving and handling and MAPA, to name but a few. All of these courses were accredited by the relevant governing authorities. She was totally dedicated to keeping the standards of care at the highest possible level.

‘If you want something done, ask a busy person.’ This statement certainly applied to Frances. She was a member of many organisations including the Mullingar St Patrick’s Day Parade committee, of which she was chairperson for three consecutive years, and in 2009 she was honoured by the parade committee for her “outstanding contribution”.

Frances also served as president of the ICA in Mullingar and she was chairperson of the board of management of St Colman’s National School. However, her passion for business shone through in her role as chairperson of Westmeath County Enterprise Board.

Frances joined the board of directors of the Enterprise Board in 1998. She subsequently became chairperson in 2001, a position she held until its amalgamation with Westmeath County Council in 2014. Frances presided over several of the board’s meetings and award ceremonies, working tirelessly to assist the support structure for businesses and in her role she always championed the cause of women in business. She gave generously of her time to empower women to succeed in every aspect of business.

Frances was always passionate about helping small businesses, having run her own business, and she always wanted the best outcome for anyone to whom she was lending a helping hand in the business field.

Frances will be very sadly missed in the town, not only as a great business woman, but also as a sister to her two brothers, as a brilliant friend to her wide circle of friends, a kind neighbour, but especially as a mother to her broken hearted daughter Fiona Battle, who misses her deeply.

Frances’s month’s mind Mass will be held in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar this Saturday, January 29, at 6pm for anyone who would like to attend.