Jane Williams: An appreciation

Though long settled in Ireland, Jane Williams remained unmistakably Australian

Though long settled in Ireland, Jane Williams remained unmistakably Australian. Born in Hastings, Victoria, one of the six children of John and Elizabeth Williams, she followed her parents’ profession by qualifying as a doctor at the University of Melbourne. Extended travels through Africa and Europe with a friend brought her eventually to London, where she trained as a psychiatrist and met her fellow psychiatrist Michael Braidwood. She moved to Ireland to be with Michael in 1980; they subsequently married and had three children, Fionn, Jarra and Ceili, while Becky, Michael’s older daughter by a previous marriage, was also a cherished member of the family. As part of her assimilation into the culture, Jane took to traditional Irish music – already a passion of Michael’s – and for the rest of her life she was a keen tin whistle player as part of an informal music group.

In the 1980s, along with her close friends Bernadette O’Sullivan, Mia Develter and others, she was a founding partner of Vico Consultation Centre, where she worked as a child psychiatrist and family therapist. Simultaneously, she was on the teaching team, and later co-director with Margaret Gill, of the Mater Family Therapy Training Programme, a position she very much enjoyed and from which she had only just retired in September 2014.

When Michael died in 1995, Jane was heartbroken, but carried on with her life and the task of caring for her still relatively young children with immense courage, resilience and a complete lack of self-pity. She was able to make quite frequent extended trips back to Australia, where her children also spent time so they were able to appreciate their dual cultural heritage. She remained close to her parents – she was with her father through his last illness in 2013 – and to her sisters and brothers.

Though a city-dweller most of her life, she loved being outdoors, whether on treks to Wilson’s Promontory in Southern Victoria or in Wicklow or the Donegal mountains.

READ MORE

In every context, Jane gave of herself unselfishly and unstintingly. With her wonderful smile and her contagious laugh, she added warmth and gaiety to every group she was in. Whatever the occasion, a family party, a country walk together, or just a meeting over a cup of tea, you never left Jane’s company without feeling better about yourself and the world.

Gentle and unassertive, she was a marvellously sympathetic listener, which was no doubt a part of what made her the successful professional she was, but was also the key to her always affirmative human presence. It is all but impossible to believe that someone so full of life and vigour, someone who meant so much to so many people here in Ireland and in Australia, has gone from us. She died in tragic circumstances but she will never be forgotten by all those she worked with, her many friends and her much loved and loving family.