The mum with the most

The hardworking mother, grandmother, wife and carer was nominated for the mag"s Mum of the Year competition by her 21-year-old daughter, Ann-Marie, and became one of the three Ulster finalists. Teresa didn"t win the overall title (it went to Carlow, she thinks) but enjoyed being treated like royalty with the other finalists at The Ultimate Girls Day Out at the RDS on August 29. So how did she end up there? 'I buy the Woman"s Way every week and I saw a little article about Mum of the Year,' said Teresa. 'Ann-Marie copped it as well and we said "we must do that and see what happens". So we sent in the letter, and then they phoned me to tell me I was a finalist and sent me the tickets for the Girls Day Out. 'I couldn"t believe it... when I read the other stories [of the finalists] I thought wouldn"t have a chance.' Teresa didn"t really think she would get anywhere in the competition, but her friends at Bailieboro Women"s Group told her the other day that she should have won it overall. She is modest though: 'The way I look at it is the woman that won the prize deserved it,' said Teresa. She is a native of Dublin who moved to Co. Cavan 11 years ago, and until she went to the RDS for the Girls Day Out, had not returned to the city. 'We were brought into a VIP room and all the women were sitting there round the table,' said Teresa. 'I was beside another woman from Ulster. They give you a white rose and a sash - all I needed was a tiara and I could"ve been the Rose of Tralee... all I needed was my crown but I didn"t get that! 'They give us a glass of Champagne - it went to my head because I haven"t been out or drinking [because of her new grandson, James].' Lorraine Keane, a former Celeb Mum of the Year was a judge for the competition Teresa took part in, and though she was also the host for Ultimate Girls Day Out, the two did not meet. 'I thought they would"ve interviewed of us about our stories, but they looked after us well,' said Teresa. 'We visited the stands [part of the weekend long Girls Day Out exhibition], I got my make-up done and I would"ve liked to have got my nails done but there was no time.' It was a full on day for Teresa, Ann-Marie and baby James, who was born on June 28. The fashion show took place at 2pm, then the winner was announced and the Bailieboro crew had to leave relatively early, because of the baby. Ann-Marie"s letter of nomination to Woman"s Way said Teresa was a one-woman support system for her family and friends and she continually puts others before herself - she is the 'busiest bee' Ann-Marie has ever met. Others first There"s no doubt about that; Teresa is a full-time carer for her husband, Richard, who suffers from chronic depression. 'I get up in the morning, give him his breakfast and make sure he takes his medication before I go. I have him spoilt!' says Teresa. That is a full time job, but Teresa also manages to make enough hours for Ann-Marie and James. 'He was born a day early in June. That Friday night we were watching the film, Agnes Brown and Ann Marie said she pains. I said "you"ll be alright, go to bed, you"ll be ok". 'But she called me about 1 o"clock in the morning when she was in the early stages of labour. We rang Andrew [Teresa"s son] and he took everyone to hospital in Cavan. We were speeding and a Garda followed us all the way but they were ok when they saw why we were rushing.' The Bailieboro Red Cross dance was taking place in the Hideout that night, and Teresa missed it, but she remains a committed member of the organisation, as well as several others in the town. The members of the Red Cross are trained in first aid, and for the senior citizens they organise a Christmas party and a day trip on the first Wednesday of each July. 'I couldn"t go on the trip this year with Anne Marie being pregnant,' said Teresa, 'but we have our meetings every month, which will be starting again soon.' Bailieboro Women"s Group started in 1997, the year Teresa moved to the town, and meets every other Friday in the community centre (2-4pm, starting again on September 26). 'We"re always looking for new members - Breeda Heary and Susan Murphy are the two women in charge of that. 'I"m also in Carers for Carers, a support network, with Geraldine Clarke and Betty and Brendan Bird, and I go ballroom dancing every Monday night in the community centre - and I like my bingo too.' It"s a full package but Teresa had put everything on hold until the baby was born: 'I shut down, shut the door,' she said. 'But it"ll be nice to get back to them all again, you go seedy in the house, start talking to the wall. I feel like doing it sometimes, like in Shirley Valentine.' One of the girls in SuperValu told Teresa she wouldn"t "want to know any of us now you"re famous" but she"s not like that and a brief brush with fame won"t deflect her from her main focus - the family. As well as Ann-Marie and baby James, there"s her son, Andrew, and her daughter, Amanda, lives in Dunshaughlin with her children, Dylan, nine, and four-year-old Jack, who has just started school. 'Amanda has gone back to college to study teaching,' said Teresa. 'Fair play to her, I would like to do it myself... when we were small things were tough in our house and we all had to go out to work. 'I love my family very much, I would do anything for them... I"m proud of my children,' Teresa concluded.