Ronnie continues to help singers of the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition

LIVELY octogenarian Dr Veronica Dunne — known to everyone as Ronnie — hasn’t stopped working in her chosen field since childhood, writes Jo Kerrigan. 

“I was fortunate enough to study privately with Hubert Rooney at the Royal Irish Academy.”

She left school in 1946, a time when well brought up young Irish women were expected to stay at home and wait for Mr Right to come along. Dunne, however, was determined to continue her chosen career. “I had intended to go to Milan, but everything was bombed there so I went to Rome instead.”