Entrepreneur glad she took time out after son born before tragedy occurred

FORMER Businesswoman of the Year Catherine Tiernan was glad she took time out last year after her son was born. She was only back at work a week when three-month-old Shane suddenly succumbed to meningitis within a matter of hours.

The Galway-based entrepreneur, who is expecting her third child in October, won the title of Businesswoman of the Year in 1996, when she was managing director of Éire Communications, a company she and her partner, Jimmy Norman, established.

The Galway-based mobile telephone company employed more than 100 people and had established 21 shops throughout the country. It was bought out two years ago by Digifone, now O2 Ireland.