TRIBUTES have poured in for an Ardoyne community stalwart, who will be remembered for her "passion for the district".
Colette McCann from Northwick Street passed away peacefully on December 15 after some time in hospital, with her loving daughter and family by her side.
Colette was well known as a community worker in Ardoyne and worked for many years for Grace Family Centre. She was also a republican ex-prisoner in Armagh prison in the early 1970s.
Jackie Donnelly from Ardoyne, Bone and Ligoniel Republican Ex-Prisoners', said: "Colette remained a committed republican until her untimely death and will will be sadly missed by the greater republican family.
"Without women like Colette our struggle would have been so much harder if not impossible.
"We salute her courage and to their families we, the greater republican family, extend our sincere condolences and genuine sympathy. She remains unbowed and unbroken."
Ardoyne man Dee Fennell described Colette as a "diamond".
"I was absolutely gutted to hear this evening of the death of Colette McCann," he added. "It was an absolute honour and privilege to know Colette growing up and one of my first memories of her is her calling to my granny and grandas and all the other houses in Northwick selling the Republican News. She was a real close friend to my Da and all his siblings growing up in the street, like all the McCanns where and are.
"As I got older I got to know Colette a lot better, and her real passion for the district was obvious, as was her love for the people of the area.
"Every morning leaving any of our kids to the naiscoil in Ardoyne Community Centre she would come out and talk away to them from the Women's Group where she worked and I know she was the same with so many of the young Gaels going there over the years. All our kids certainly remember her fondly from their days there.
"Colette was without a doubt one of the best women to come from Ardoyne. Regardless of your political views, religion, gender, sexuality or anything else she treated everyone the same and greeted everyone with the same big smile.
"Her passing will be a big loss to the district, but most of all to her daughter Niamh who she was so proud of, and the rest of the family.
"Slán Colette, you were a diamond."
Colette's funeral took place on Monday at Holy Cross Church in Ardoyne followed by burial at Milltown Cemetery.
