‘Peggy Aiken was a formidable lady and she gave me the courage to believe I could do anything’
Northern Ireland’s 1972 Olympic golden girl turned national treasure Lady Mary Peters says one special lady has inspired her and, even though she has long passed away, she still hears her advice ringing in her ears.
“My inspirational woman is a lady called Peggy Aiken, who was the first woman barrister in Northern Ireland,” she says. “She became a member of my health club, which was Buster McShane’s health club. I worked there during the 1970s.
“I was invited to speak at the Woman of the Year luncheon in London, which is a very important lunch. And I was telling Peggy and I was saying to her that I wasn’t going to go as I didn’t know anyone in London. And she said to me ‘you will go and you will speak’ and I said that I couldn’t do that. And she said ‘don’t say you can’t do anything, just decide you can and do it’. She said to me that if people like me don’t do these things then other women will not be invited.
“So I did. I went and I spoke. I thank her for encouraging me to do something that I thought was impossible.
“This was the 1970s and she was already retired. She is no longer with us. I respected and admired her for being a leader in our community. Her words gave me the courage never to be afraid to do anything.
“I still think on her advice and I always remember her
when I’m asked to do things and I think ‘oh my God, why are they asking me to do that?’ And I think, Peggy would have done it and so must I.
“I have lived my life by her words. I respected her so much. People within the law environment would remember her as a formidable lady of her era.
“She is no longer here, but I would love to thank her for giving me the courage to face up to challenges.”