Local tributes have this week been paid to internationally renowned soprano and music teacher Dr Veronica Dunne. A patron of the Hugh O’Flaherty Society, Dr Dunne, who was aged 93, died on Monday peacefully at the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin.

During her long career Veronica Dunne trained some of Ireland's best known classical singers.

This week members of the Hugh O’Flaherty Society said that they are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of their friend and patron.

"Veronica was a dear friend of Msgr Hugh, - becoming acquainted with him in 1946 when she travelled to Rome for classical voice training at the young age of 18 years," Jerry O'Grady from the Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Society said.
"At the request of her parents, Msgr Hugh undertook to look out for her safety and well-being in a post-wartime city, populated by thousands of allied troops and Italians trying to rescue their society from the disastrous fascist regime of Mussolini. She recalled fondly of meeting Msgr Hugh at the foot of the aeroplane steps as she arrived in Rome – whereupon while welcoming her to Rome, he also issued a stern warning to her as follows - “I will have you back on the plane to Dublin in the blink of an eye if you don’t behave yourself while in Rome”. He ensured that she was introduced to all of the appropriate people in Rome who might help her in her chosen career, bringing her along to the many society receptions and events to which he was regularly invited."

He said that Veronica also recalled a sad occasion when Msgr Hugh brought her to visit the scene of the terrible wartime atrocity at the Ardeatine Caves outside Rome, where on March 24 1943 the Nazis executed 335 Roman citizens, in retaliation for the killing of 33 German Military Police in an Italian Resistance attack the previous day. The 335 victims had been selected at random from civilian prisons, suspected resistance supporters as well as those suspected of supporting the Rome Escape Line. On what was to be his first and only visit to the site, she said that Msgr Hugh wept openly at such a tremendous loss of lives, including many of his Escape Line associates.

"When the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society was officially launched at a lunch in Killarney in the spring of 2008, Veronica travelled down from Dublin to be with us, and she generously made a substantial donation towards our Memorial Fund, and so became our very first Patron. Over the subsequent years, she continued to take an interest in our Society, joining us at events in Dublin and she used every opportunity presented to her on radio, TV and in the print media to increase awareness of the incredible story of Hugh O’Flaherty," he added.

"Veronica will be greatly missed by lovers of classical music around the world and by her many friends in the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society. We extend our deep sympathy and condolences to her family. May she Rest in Peace.