Cork's Mary Aikenhead is two steps away from sainthood

A Corkwoman has moved a step close to becoming a saint after Pope Francis declared her venerable.

Mary Aikenhead, born in Daunt’s Square in Cork in 1787, was one of seven people to be declared venerable yesterday at the Vatican.

It is the second of four steps in the Catholic Church’s canonisation process. It comes after the Pope approved permission for the person to begin the path to sainthood by declaring them a servant of God.