Kildare rehabilitation champion saw softer side of ‘the Black Widow’. Catherine Nevin presented herself as a 'mother figure' to other female prisoners

Aubrey McCarthy, well known Kildare business man and Chair of Tiglin Rehabilitation Centre has spoken out about the late Catherine Nevin, dubbed the 'Black Widow' after she was charged with the murder of her husband, Tom in 1996. She was further charged and convicted of soliciting three men to kill her late husband. Ms Nevin who was born in Nurney, Co Kildare always protested her innocence and claimed she was 'set up'. Despite the credibility of the three witnesses who claimed Ms Nevin had approached them to kill her husband being debated at the trial, Ms Nevin was guilty in August 2000 after one of the country's longest and most colourful trial (42 days duration).

Mr McCarthy, who also serves on the East Coast Drugs Task Force, was a regular visitor to Ms Nevin and spoke about her communications on national radio today. Through his work with the programme at Tiglin, Mr McCarthy visits jails to meet with prisoners who have addiction issues. “I am regularly asked to visit prisoners, and as such I was in Dóchas and met this woman who introduced herself as Catherine.She knew about Tiglin and told me that she used to own a pub in Wicklow. “I did not pretend to recognise her; the meeting was very cordial and I went on my way. About a year ago, I received a phone call from Mountjoy and I was asked if it would be ok if a prisoner contacted me. A couple of days later, I received a phone call from Catherine Nevin who said that she was so impressed with the people she  knew who had completed the Tiglin programme (from inmates who left and had been rehabilitated) that she would like to meet me, and asked me to visit". Kildare REHAB Person of the Year for 2016, Mr McCarthy stated he went to the prison to meet her, as she was so interested in the work and success rate of Tiglin. Aubrey McCarthy, second left in back row with fellow nominees at the 2016 REHAB Kildare People of the Year Awards “By then, she was ill and in a hospice. She portrayed herself as a ‘mother figure’ to the younger girls at the Dóchas and encouraged whoever would listen (girls who were in addiction) that they needed to get their lives sorted out and get treatment. Over the years, she had seen various girls enter Tiglin and shake off their addictions. She said they got clean, and got their lives back. This, she claimed encouraged her and she enrolled on a course in Addiction Studies at Ballyfermot College”. She told Mr MrCarthy that her illness allowed her to view life differently. “She began to telephone me regularly and wrote letters”. Whilst the late Ms Nevin always claimed she was innocent and set up by members of the IRA, Mr McCarthy never asked about her husband’s death and her conviction. The tenderness and concern expressed for others in her letters surprised him. The extracts below, said Mr McCarthy showed how this woman,  although formidable, had a softer caring side. “I make no judgement on her character and conviction but she did look out for women in prison with addiction problems. He confirmed also that she visited Tiglin in Co Wicklow and was further impressed with our services. [caption id="attachment_208257" align="alignnone" width="205"] The late Catherine Nevin[/caption] Ms Nevin wrote: "Regarding my illness, it is not enough to just rely on experts, even though I think that is very important. You have to do the work as well. This applies to life as a patient, as is my case at present, but also to life in general. Life is a challenge. I am meeting it - I feel that I am worth fighting for, and I am fighting. Life is also a duty: we must meet it and complete it. It is filled with struggles and adversity that must be fought and overcome. For me the tumour is just another blip that has to be dealt with. She continued: “On the other hand, life is an opportunity and an adventure, and we have to dare it. It is precious and it is very important that we keep gong and avoid falling at the last hurdle. Now is the time to stand up and fight and turn that frown into a smile. I personally feel that life is a song and that we have to sing it!" Alluding to her illness, she wrote: "The time on the radiotherapy machine is very important to me, because life also is a journey, and the longest part of that journey is the journey within. This is something that I can undertake while on the machine ...... you can take your mind anywhere it wants to go.  Life is also a dream, and we must realise this dream. We have to remember that in reality, money and position and power don't count. This is something that becomes very clear when you are on the radiotherapy machine. We are all the same and should all be treated with the same respect." In another letter she wrote: “Aubrey, life is indeed strange. I would be very happy to think that my words might help even one other along the way. Remember - life can take away only our liberty. It cannot take away our freedom. We can all be as free as butterflies if we want to, no matter what our circumstances. We need to give the world our very best - and if we do, we may be surprised by how much it gives back" "Formidable lady, but she expressed such compassion for her fellow inmates and their problems and surprised me with the tender sentiment expressed in her letters" concluded Mr McCarthy to the Kildare Post and KildareNow