Our community lost one of its leaders this week with the passing of Maureen Burke from East Wall Road.

Maureen gave of her time and boundless energy to so many people and projects over the years. She was always there to support, to help out and go that extra mile for her neighbours and members of her community.

During all kinds of weather, Maureen could be seen knocking on doors, chatting to neighbours and delivering community flyers throughout the neighbourhood.

Maureen volunteered for many years with younger people in the area. She was actively involved in the Senior Citizens Christmas Party held in Croke Park each year and would go from shop to shop seeking raffle prizes. She represented the community at the Docklands Seniors Forum each year where she would make the case for greater facilities and support for older people in the area. Up until recently, she continued to attend the North Strand Community forum, always willing to share her thoughts and ideas.

Maureen provoked the powers that be to sit up, take note and listen to what a community wanted. She would make phone calls – a lot of them – and burn the ear off Councillors, TDs, Ministers and the odd Taoiseach to ensure the concerns were heard loud and clear.

She actively campaigned on issues which greatly impacted our area: from the rebuilding of the East Wall Road railway bridge (No Wall, No Way) and the construction of the Dublin Port Tunnel to the HGV ban on East Wall Road and events at Croke Park, Maureen always made sure the community came first.

Above all Maureen was a true neighbour – always looking out for people around her and willing to help out in whatever way she could – even if it was by just listening. She doted on neighbours’ children, looked out for stray cats with some milk and took in parcel deliveries!

Always forward thinking, Maureen once talked Readymix into dumping a tonne of sand in her front garden and in the downpours of rain, began filling sand bags for neighbours as the River Tolka came close to bursting its banks!

Maureen’s baking skills were legendary – just ask anyone who ever tasted one of her Christmas cakes or puddings!

Always one to put others first, Maureen was a natural and original community leader and will be greatly missed by all those she engaged with and an entire community to which she gave a voice.

May she rest in peace.