MAUREEN KEARNEY WAS TOP TRAVEL ADVISOR

“WE pride ourselves on our expert and informed staff,” says Maureen Kearney. “They are all friendly, interested and highly trained. We are not really interested in the hard sell. We want our clients to enjoy their experience.’

Those words pretty much summed up the woman, speaking to the Drogheda Independent in 1989.

40 years ago last month, Maureen Kearney and Sheila Martin joined forces to set up Kearney Travel, then based at No.2 Shop Street.

Between them, Maureen and Sheila had over twenty years experience in the travel trade before they paired up.

Both participated in the training programmes of Aer Lingus for travel agency staff and in 1976 Maureen attended an advanced course at the International Training Centre of Lufthansa in Germany and was awarded a diploma at its completion.

And for the next number of decades they provided an invaluable service.

Travel and everything that came with it was in Maureen’s blood and as a business duo Maureen and Sheila knew how to deliver, right up to the closure of the business in 2009.

Kearney Travel was an award winning firm, honoured by Aer Lingus back in the mid 80s for their promotion of the trade.

In 1984, Maureen was on board the inaugural flight of Euralair from Dublin to Lourdes, a new firm planning 60 flights a year to the French beauty spot.

Maureen was also a trailblazer back in 1964 when working in Globe Travel. Swissair and the Italian Tourist Board invited her on a continental eight-day holiday which took her from Dublin Airport to London, then Zurich and on to the “high spots” of Italy’s major cities.

Maureen, who lived on Francis St, passed away on 10th August at Gormanston Wood Nursing Home. She is sadly missed by her brothers, Bro. Nicholas O.S.A, Tom, Liam, Eamonn and Fergus, sisters Jeannette and Angela, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, grand nephews, grand nieces, relatives and friends.

Her funeral was Sunday to the Augustinian Church, Shop Street.