Dorothy D'Alton died on October 4th, the feast of St Francis of Assisi. For those who shared her religious convictions, it was appropriate that a woman who cared so passionately about peace between peoples and about reverence for nature should pass from us on the feast-day of the special patron of reconciliation and of God's creation.
Perhaps Dorothy's greatest legacy was to bring to Ireland Pax Christi, the principal Roman Catholic peace movement, in 1958. But her whole life before and after that date was a practical celebration of the beauty and diversity of human existence and of the need to cherish and protect it.
Born in 1912, Dorothy studied with the Loreto Sisters, to whom she always remained very attached. A brilliant student, she won the Edmund Byrne four-year scholarship to UCD. But financial considerations led her to enter the Civil Service, where she spent most of her career in the Board of Works. As an evening student she took a BA degree (1934) and then a degree in Social Science (1969), both at UCD. However, her most enthusiastic study was of nature, whether in her beloved garden or in whatever far-flung part of the world she was travelling. Repeatedly over her long life, Dorothy was at the cutting edge of Ireland's religious and social development. Every movement that promoted dialogue and friendship between opposing traditions had her ardent support. She was a founding member of Tuairim, one of the first organisations to question Ireland's post-war cultural consensus. Forty years ago she founded Le Cheile, which for over a decade welcomed overseas students to Irish homes. Dorothy always took great pride in her profession as a civil servant and felt honoured to be one of the early members of the Council of the Institute of Public Administration. At the end of her career in the Board of Works, she had direct responsibility for some of Ireland's largest public parks - a perfect match between a worker and her work. Another long-time interest was the Folk School movement, of which she was a founding member in Ireland. In due course she became a keen supporter of An Taisce and of the Green Party.
Retirement gave Dorothy the opportunity to re-double her voluntary work and to travel the world. She visited the US, Russia, Israel, Lesotho, southern Africa and, on three occasions, Brazil. Though she loved Ireland above anywhere else, her concern for the dignity of every people and for the integrity of creation admitted no exceptions. For many years she was treasurer of the Irish branch of the UN Association, in recognition of which she was made its honorary vice-president in the year before her death.
The peace movement Pax Christi, which Dorothy first came to know in France, articulated almost all of her most profound convictions. As a true Christian and humanitarian she celebrated tolerance, diversity and co-existence. Violence towards human beings or animals filled her with horror and anguish. However cruel a political regime, she rejected violence as a solution. Abuse of animals made her almost physically ill.
Dorothy's compassion for the misery of the poor she had seen for herself in Brazil and in southern Africa led her to call insistently for a cancellation of Third World debt. Hers was one of the principal voices that led to the founding of the Debt and Development Coalition. Even in old age, she was utterly committed to working for reconciliation. Being over 80 was no excuse for not taking a bus on inclement winter nights to meetings of a Jewish-Christian dialogue group.
In person, Dorothy was characterised by kindness, patience, good humour and extreme modesty about her own role. People of every race, religion and social background received the same warm attention and respect. Her instinct was always to praise and thank others, however modest their contribution. No censorious puritan, she loved the theatre, choral singing, folk-dancing and parties. Her organisation of and lively participation in children's parties are well remembered by different generations of her family and friends.
Although Dorothy D'Alton was reared at a time when Ireland was politically and religiously intolerant, she gradually broke all restrictive moulds as she moved ever closer to the Gospel's revelation of a kingdom that is just, peaceful and ecumenical. The many people who knew and loved her believe that on leaving us she was at once entirely at home in that Kingdom to which she had long borne witness with radiant grace and goodness.