Prayers of hope in Aghamore for abducted GOAL worker

Prayers of hope in Aghamore for abducted GOAL worker


Michael Commins

IN her home in Lauralea, Aghamore, Mary Delia Commins is waiting for the call she hopes will bring her a huge sense of relief. It has been a trying and demanding few days since her granddaughter Sharon, an aid worker with GOAL, was kidnapped by an armed gang in Sudan.
Sharon Commins (pictured) (32) has been serving with the Irish aid agency for the past four years. She was due to return to Dublin this month. But matters took a dramatic turn last week when Sharon and a colleague from Uganda were abducted from a GOAL compound in Darfur.
Intensive diplomatic efforts have been put in place to try and make contact with the kidnappers to see what demands are being made by them. Senior officials from Ireland have travelled to Khartoum and the goodwill of other foreign embassy staff in Sudan has been offered to the Irish contingent as they try and bring about a successful outcome to the ordeal.
Sharon is daughter of Mark Commins from Aghamore and his wife Agatha from Cavan. She also has two brothers. The family reside in Clontarf. Her uncle Tom lives in the homeplace in Aghamore while her aunts Eileen Culliney and Ann Mitchell reside in Bekan and Sligo respectively.
“Sharon has always loved coming down to Mayo. Mark himself was down only a week ago. When I heard the news, it hit me hard. I think if I heard some news from there now it would give me courage. If they made a demand or something, at least you’d know she was well,” says Mary Delia.
“It is a very worrying time for all of us. She is such a lovely girl. She loves doing what she is doing out abroad. We are hoping and praying and waiting. Loads of Masses have been said for her and her friend over the last few days. Surely God in Heaven will hear our prayers.”