‘Never forgotten’ – hero Kilkenny frontline workers who died after contracting Covid-19 are named

Tributes have been flooding in for the two brave frontline staff members at St Luke’s General Hospital who passed away this week after contracting the Coronavirus.

The heathcare workers now been named locally as Catherine Hickey (51) and Jim Kenny (49).

Catherine was a member of the household staff in the hospital and was being treated in the hospital at the time of her passing.

Jim was a healthcare attendant at the hospital and had been self-isolating at home at the time of his passing.

Both had been staff members at the hospital for a number of years.

Catherine, a mother of two, is originally from the Rower but has lived in The Butts in Kilkenny city for a number of years. Her funeral takes place tomorrow. She was described online by those who worked with  “a true lady who will never be forgotten”.

Jim, a father of one from Ballyragget, will be laid to rest in the coming days and a memorial service will take place sometime in the future.

Friends and staff at the hospital paid their own tributes to Jim.

One staff member said on Facebook: “Jim we will miss your kind nature and your fun sense of humour.”

Another tribute read, “You touched the hearts of everyone that you met, you really were one in a million.”