Mary Cummins was born in Dublin in April 1905.

After excelling in languages at school, she was encouraged to follow up on her obvious skills.

She would later find herself teaching in Brussels and during the German invasion of May 1940 she became involved with the Belgian resistance.

Her job was as a courier - passing messages through the city and country and beyond.

Not long after this, Mary was arrested and imprisoned in a concentration camp.

By the time her concentration camp was liberated in April 1945, she was in an emaciated state and ill health.

Mary would go on to marry Count Guy O’Kelly de Galway in 1949 and shortly after they returned to Ireland. As a result of her marraige, Mary assumed the title Countess Mary de Galway O'Kelly.

In 1964 her husband left on a business trip to England - he 'disappeared' and she would never see him again.

Mary Cummins died on June 20th, 1999, and was cremated at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.

Presented and produced by Padraic Dolan.

First broadcast Jan 1993

An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One - the home of Irish radio documentaries.