UK-domiciled Moynalty woman awarded papal medal

A Moynalty woman who has been living in England for over 50 years was awarded a Bene Merenti Medal for her parish work at her adopted home in Derbyshire. Peggie Flynn, who lives in the small spa town of Matlock was at Mass on Sunday week last and was shocked and surprised when the parish priest of Our Lady and St Joseph"s Parish, Canon Bernard Needham, invited her to receive the prestigious papal award. This medal has the word 'Bene Merenti" which means 'to a well deserving person", on its face and its ribbon is made up of the papal colours. The award was instituted by Pope Gregory XVI in 1832 and is conferred on those who have exhibited long and exceptional service to the Catholic Church, their families and community. Mrs Flynn is a native of Moynalty, where she was a member of the well-known Farrell family. She grew up in Moynalty and, when she finished her Leaving Certificate, she went to train as a nurse in London and later married Derbyshire man, Michael Flynn. Members of her family still live in Meath, including Gerry Farrell, who lives in Moynalty; her sister, Gertie O"Connor, who lives in Navan, and Angela Murphy, a resident of Kells. Her brother, Fr Val Farrell, who is a priest in Blackpool, wrote a book about Moynalty 'Not So Much To One Side", and two of her sisters, Frances and Molly, also live in England. Her brother, Brendan, who lived in Navan, died a year ago. Mrs Flynn qualified as a nurse in 1952 at the West Middlesex Hospital, Isleworth, London, and Crumpsall Hospital, Manchester. In the following years, she held senior positions in nursing and in special education in Derbyshire and in the Social Services Department, Sheffield, with professionalism and commitment. When she retired, she dedicated a lot of time to her local parish which led to her receiving the papal award.