Search
06 Sept 2025
Search
06 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Ciara, Aileen, Monny’s husband Eamon, Monny, Erin and Carla.
A year after losing their beloved mum to a heart attack, four sisters from County Derry have organised a 24-hour walk to raise funds for British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland (BHF NI).
Monny McSorley from Maghera died suddenly on 21 April 2020 after suffering a heart attack just weeks before her 60th birthday.
The much-loved mum was known throughout her local community for her charity volunteering and fundraising work, as well as working closely with children with special educational needs.
This Saturday, August 14, her four daughters Ciara, Carla, Aileen and Erin have organised a 24-hour walk at Watty Grahams GAC Glen Maghera to raise money for the BHF NI’s life saving heart research in their mum’s memory.
Monny’s daughters said the loss of their mum was a huge shock to the family and the wider community.
Her daughter Carla McGovern said: “Last year our lives were shattered when we lost our beloved mother to a heart attack.
“Mammy's life was all about helping people, it was in her blood. She really did have a heart of gold. But unfortunately, it was her heart that gave up on her on 21 April last year.
“Mammy died just a few weeks before what would have been her 60th birthday.
“It was the biggest shock of our lives. She had very few symptoms other than indigestion.
“No one could have foreseen the tragedy that unfolded that evening.
“The panic, the trauma and the shock were unbearable and life without her even more so. But we remain strong, as we know that's what she would have wanted and expected of us.”
A wife to Eamon, mother of four daughters and grandmother of eight, Monny was well known in the Maghera area.
Her daughters hope the 24-hour walk will raise money for heart and circulatory disease research to prevent other families suffering the same heartbreak.
“When you lose someone you love with all your heart, it can be hard to put one foot in front of the other,” said Carla.
“On Saturday 14 August we are doing a 24 hour walk at Watty Graham GAC Glen in memory of mammy. Each step we take will be in memory of an amazing woman with a heart of gold who is gone far too soon.
“Her life was defined by thousands of small acts of kindness. From fundraising for various charities, to volunteering for over 30 years, alongside working in schools with children with educational needs.
“In doing our fundraiser we hope to raise awareness of heart disease particularly in women over the age of 50 and contribute to vital research so that we get to keep our loved ones around for longer.”
Every two hours someone in Northern Ireland is admitted to hospital with a heart attack. Coronary heart disease kills twice as many women as breast cancer in the UK every year and is one of the single biggest killers of women worldwide.
Head of BHF NI Fearghal McKinney thanked Monny’s family, friends and local community for their fundraising efforts.
“We are incredibly grateful to Monny’s family for their incredible fundraising efforts in her memory. We couldn’t fund our life saving heart and circulatory disease research without the support of families like Monny’s,” he said.
“When the BHF was formed seven out of 10 people died from a heart attack but thanks to the power of research now seven out of 10 people survive. But sadly, like Monny’s story shows, that is still too many people dying far too soon and leaving behind a devastated family. We urgently need to fund more research to save other families from this heartbreak.”
To donate to the fundraiser visit, https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/veronica-mcsorley.
Marine biologist recalls idyllic County Derry childhood that influenced his life and work
Renowned Scottish marine scientist John Dunn, who was awarded an MBE in 2017 for his work, grew up in Maghera. Liam Tunney speaks to him about his upcoming memoir, his love for the town and his disappointment about not being able to attend this weekend's book launch personally.
New self-catering units approved for Bellaghy Bawn
A worker pictured removing part of the box junction markings back in July. Photo: Damien Sweeney
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
