IPPN

Published: 08 December 2008

Click Here to view Sister Stanislaus Kennedy's address to Conference

Sister Stanislaus Kennedy was born in the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry and was educated in the Presentation School, Dingle, UCD and the University of Manchester. She is a Religious Sister of Charity and one of Ireland's best-known social innovators. She helped establish Kilkenny Social Services in the 1970's. In the 1970's, she also co-founded the National Federation of Youth Clubs, CARE, and the School of Education in Kilkenny. In the 1980's she founded Focus Ireland of which she is Life President. In the 1990's Sr. Stan founded and is Director of The Sanctuary. In 2001, she founded Social Innovations Ireland out of which she founded The Immigrant Council of Ireland and Young Social Innovators; she is Director and Chairperson of both organisations. Sr Stan is a Board member of the Community Foundation for Ireland. She is also a writer and some of her books include: Now is the time: A Bundle of Blessings; Gardening the Soul and Seasons of the Day and most recently Stillness through my prayers.

Sr Stanislaus has received numerous awards and tributes for her outstanding work for the marginalised in society and some of those are as follows:

• 1981 'Kerry Person of the Year'
• 1982 Honorary Doctorate in Laws from Trinity College Dublin
• 1993 University of New York Special Honour for commitment to the disadvantaged in Ireland
• 1996 The Lord Mayor of Dublin's Award
• 2003 Honorary Doctorate in Laws from the National University of Ireland
• 2004 Meteor Awards prestigious 'Humanitarian of the Year'
• 2005 Honorary Degree of Doctor of the Open University.