Áine "Nancy" Hardiman born Anne Hardiman clan name of Dlamini (23 April 1926 – 8 March 2013) was an Irish nun and anti-apartheid activist in South Africa.
Hardiman was born in Dublin in 1926 and she was one of seven siblings. She attended a school that was part of the Eccles Street Dominican Convent. Her school, Scoil Chaitríona was founded by a Dominican nun, and used Irish as its first language[2] She attended University College Dublin to take Maths and philosophy, but she had already decided to be a Dominican nun at age eighteen. As soon as her degree was complete, she was sent out to South Africa where she found herself leading a school that only enrolled white children. She was part of the system to which she objected. She began working with mothers in Nyanga township. Protests were violent and their would-be on-going fights with police, but children were still there, and they needed to be educated. She oversaw a distributed system of lessons, but she remained unseen.[2]
In 1985 she signed a document named Kairos (aka moment of truth). The document was signed be religious leaders of different faiths and its purpose was to expose their belief that the Dutch Reformed Church had no theological foundation for its support of the racist government.[1]
She was in the Irish news in 1987 because she had profoundly disagreed with a message sent by the Pope to bishops in South Africa. The pope advised that the bishops should stay out of politics and Hardiman found this message incredible. She had spent 35 years in South Africa and she believed that those who remained silent to the apartheid government were complicit with the regime. She was interviewed on Irish Television by David Hanly where she said that the church should side with the oppressed.[3] Hardiman's brother worked at RTE.[1]
After the apartheid government gave way to democratic elections in the early 1990s, Hardiman returned to Ireland to visit family and participate in various religious and ecological retreats. She visited more than once but her home was in different South African convents. Her friends knew her as "Nancy" and she was given the clan name of "Dlamini".[1]
Hardiman died in Cape Town in 2013 ending a sixty-year mission in the country.[2]
Referencesedit
^ abcdO'Riordan, Turlough (September 2021). "Hardiman, Áine". Dictionary of Irish Biography. doi:10.3318/dib.010182.v1. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
^ abc"Missionary who devoted her life to fighting apartheid". The Irish Times. 13 April 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
^"Sr Áine Hardiman". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
December 02, 2023
Áine, hardiman, Áine, nancy, hardiman, born, anne, hardiman, clan, name, dlamini, april, 1926, march, 2013, irish, anti, apartheid, activist, south, africa, family, photobornanne, hardiman23, april, 1926dublin, irelanddied8, march, 2013cape, town, south, afric. Aine Nancy Hardiman born Anne Hardiman clan name of Dlamini 23 April 1926 8 March 2013 was an Irish nun and anti apartheid activist in South Africa Aine Hardimanfamily photoBornAnne Hardiman23 April 1926Dublin IrelandDied8 March 2013Cape Town South AfricaBurial placeSpringfield Cape Town 1 EducationUniversity College DublinOccupationDominican nunKnown forAnti apartheid activistTitleSisterLife editHardiman was born in Dublin in 1926 and she was one of seven siblings She attended a school that was part of the Eccles Street Dominican Convent Her school Scoil Chaitriona was founded by a Dominican nun and used Irish as its first language 2 She attended University College Dublin to take Maths and philosophy but she had already decided to be a Dominican nun at age eighteen As soon as her degree was complete she was sent out to South Africa where she found herself leading a school that only enrolled white children She was part of the system to which she objected She began working with mothers in Nyanga township Protests were violent and their would be on going fights with police but children were still there and they needed to be educated She oversaw a distributed system of lessons but she remained unseen 2 In 1985 she signed a document named Kairos aka moment of truth The document was signed be religious leaders of different faiths and its purpose was to expose their belief that the Dutch Reformed Church had no theological foundation for its support of the racist government 1 She was in the Irish news in 1987 because she had profoundly disagreed with a message sent by the Pope to bishops in South Africa The pope advised that the bishops should stay out of politics and Hardiman found this message incredible She had spent 35 years in South Africa and she believed that those who remained silent to the apartheid government were complicit with the regime She was interviewed on Irish Television by David Hanly where she said that the church should side with the oppressed 3 Hardiman s brother worked at RTE 1 After the apartheid government gave way to democratic elections in the early 1990s Hardiman returned to Ireland to visit family and participate in various religious and ecological retreats She visited more than once but her home was in different South African convents Her friends knew her as Nancy and she was given the clan name of Dlamini 1 Hardiman died in Cape Town in 2013 ending a sixty year mission in the country 2 References edit a b c d O Riordan Turlough September 2021 Hardiman Aine Dictionary of Irish Biography doi 10 3318 dib 010182 v1 Retrieved 28 October 2022 a b c Missionary who devoted her life to fighting apartheid The Irish Times 13 April 2013 Retrieved 28 October 2022 Sr Aine Hardiman RTE Archives Retrieved 28 October 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aine Hardiman amp oldid 1167829759, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
