It is with great sadness that we report that Noelle Ryan, passionate activist for social justice, educator, long-time friend and right-hand assistant to Fr. Des Wilson of Springhill Community House in Belfast, Northern Ireland passed away on Saturday, March 29. Our deepest condolences to Fr. Des, the Springhill Community House family, Noelle’s family in Dublin and her many friends at home and abroad.
Noelle joined Fr. Des and Springhill Community House in 1972 shortly after Fr. Des took up residence there. She has been his close confident and assistant since then. She was instrumental in organizing educational classes at Springhill in the 70’s and early 80’s. She was among those in the West Belfast community who founded the Conway Education Centre. In addition to her many contributions to Springhill’s and Conway Education Centre’s educational achievements, Noelle was a passionate advocate of complementary alternative medicines and played an important role in launching these therapies at Springhill and Conway Education Centre.
Noelle’s positive outlook on life and loving care for others will be acutely missed.
I have just heard the sad news about Noelle’s death. I would like to add my condolences to all her family, and her friends and colleagues at Springhill House and Conway Mill. Noelle was a great source of hospitality, inspiration friendship and knowledge for me and various groups of students and colleagues I helped to bring over to Belfast from Sheffield. We formed a close link with Springhill which I treasure to this day. We will miss her