MAUREEN McKiernan loved three things: she loved life, she loved her family and she loved her community.

And that love of her community lives on triumphantly through her family as together they have raised a stunning total of £7,760 which they are donating to various charities and organisations in West and North Belfast.

Maureen was married to her beloved husband Danny for 59 years and together they had twelve children: Danny, Paul, Gerard, Sean, Maura, Sharon, Martin, Colm, Kevin, Geraldine, Eamonn and Jean. She passed away peacefully surrounded by them all on October 1 2016. She was 79.

On February 19, Maureen’s family and friends did a sponsored walk on the Black Mountain to raise funds in her memory. Speaking to the Andersonstown News, her daughters Jean and Maura said: “Our mummy always gave to charities and we know she would have been very proud of us for doing this. 200 people showed up to take part in the walk, we were overwhelmed.

“We wanted to give back to the community who have been so good to us since our mummy passed in October. We have lived in Glencolin for over 38 years and once the neighbours got word that our mummy had died they couldn’t do enough for us. The house didn’t stop with people bringing food and calling in, people have been so good but we want to give a very special thank-you to Bill Groves, he will never, ever know just how much pressure that he took off our shoulders.”

The money raised will be divided between several charities and there will also be two defibrillators put in prime spots in West Belfast.

Maura said: “There will be a defibrillator at Gransha Taxis and all staff will be trained on how to use it, and the second one will be in the PD.”

As well as this the Children’s Hospice in O’Neill Road Newtownabbey will receive £3,610, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust will receive £500, Trust Belfast (Homeless) will get £250 as will Kids Together and Mental Health charity Tamie, based in North Belfast. Out of the money raised the family have also purchased a medical chair for Doctor Clare Crossin’s surgery on the Glen Road.

Jean said: “Doctor Crossin was always very good to our mummy, nothing was ever too much trouble. In fact, Dr Crossin and her reception staff did the walk with us. All of these charities and places mean so much to us on a personal level, every penny raised is going straight back into the community that our mummy loved.”

As well as the walk the family also sold a number of ballots with prizes donated from various businesses in the area.

Maura said: “People are so generous, we could have sold those ballots ten times over. The prizes that were donated were unbelievable and we want to thank all the businesses who donated. We also want to thank the PD, TK1 for providing the buffet and Micky Porter of the PD for drawing the ballot.

“There are too many people to name individually but from the family we want to especially acknowledge and thank our brother Martin, he did so much to organise the events. He was amazing, a real star.”