Madam, - Your excellent obituary of Kate O'Sullivan (June 2nd) kindled vivid memories of the young person I first met with her parents when she was about to enter TCD. The friendly smile shown in your photograph had not changed from that first encounter when the commitment and scale of her social involvement in Dublin life still lay in the future.
Her father was a solicitor in Penrith and her mother, who had family roots in Donegal, devoted herself to voluntary social work. As a student Kate enjoyed college life to the full, becoming involved in musical activities, and often to be seen at boat club parties.
In her early married life she did so many different things, seemingly able to excel at anything she put her mind to. She gave piano lessons, taught Italian and made wedding cakes for our daughters. I remember that she sat up late on the hottest night of the year to make sure that the icing did not run off one of those cakes! When our youngest daughter needed to earn some money, she would help Kate produce numerous Christmas puddings and cakes, enjoying the lively conversation that lightened the work.
The elegant terraced house in Milltown where she and her family lived for so many years was a fitting setting for the warm and generous hospitality Kate always dispensed there. It is indeed sad that such a remarkably talented person did not live to enjoy a well-earned retirement. - Yours, etc,
M LYNDALL LUCE, Bushy Park Road, Dublin 6.