We are here today to celebrate the life of Catherine, Cath Doran. A fierce presence in all of our lives, friend, mother aunty, cousin, grandmother, sister. A person of great talent, charm and wit. Born Catherine Mary Doran to Brian and Sheila in Halifax, West Yorkshire on this day 60 years ago in 1963, Cath was the second of five children, Ed, Liz, Ruth and me Michael.
Being the older brother I started school first and Cath followed the next year and even though she was fully 18 months younger was almost immediately at the same level academically we were at St Patricks Infants in Huddersfield and we would catch the bus into town where the school was located. We would do what a lot of kids do and read out the words on buildings and billboards, puzzling over pronunciation and meaning, A Glass And A Half, Don't be Vagyew ASk For Haig, Huddersfield Building Sockety, the mysteries of the world and English spelling gradually falling into place and making sense. It was Cath who taught me that any number times 10 was that number with a zero after it. Basic building blocks which need to fall into place.
In the early years the family moved around a lot, Cath and I went to 3 different schools in England and with me being older and sometimes at a different school, were not always together. Ed had started school by then and I'm sure she helped him with his work like she had helped me. It probably comes as no surprise that Cath was loved by her teachers and this was often mentioned to me and not always with a favourable comparison.
The family emigrated to Australia in 1970 moving eventually to the ocean side location of North Beach and in '74 , for one year only all 5 Doran kids were in the same school together with Ruth in grade1 and me in grade 7, Cath, one year below, in 6 immediately charmed the entire staff with her generosity and talent. She had taken up piano by this time and was already very impressive, she began playing guitar and singing at church,
some years later she would show me some chords and just as I learned the 10 times tables I could play Stairway To Heaven. Badly.
Growing up as a family we were close and competition was fierce, Cath was fiercer. Our dad was very much given to grand statements, repetition and catchphrase, I didn't bring you sods 9000 miles to sit around watching television but watch we did, Gilligans Island, Adventure Island, 3Stooges, Rocky And Bullwinkle, Car 54 Where Are You, American rubbish our dad would call it. Some shows were more suitable for boys and some for girls epic battles would ensue with one charming child turning the channel knob one way while another pushed it the other, the plastic knob broke and soon pliers were needed. Whoever held the pliers ruled the viewing.
Reading was a gentler, more parent approved activity and both Cath and I were keen readers of Enid Blyton, Secret 7, Famous 5 Mallory Towers of course competition crept into it Haven't you finished that one yet? don't leave it lying around if you don't want me to read it.
Cath was a trailblazer in our family, the first to graduate uni, the first to get married, the first to be a parent, first Erin then Seth and during that time the toughness she had learned defending herself within the pecking order developed into something calmer, more responsible yet no less assertive. Mealtimes had always been difficult with dad insisting no elbows on table, hold your fork right and the big one, the one that would turn him into Basil Fawlty with indignation, absolutely no sandwiches to be made at the table. Now dad loved us all equally but in Cath's case more equally than others so when he saw her, Catherine Mary, slipping the contents of her plate between two bits of bread he exploded. Cath faced him down and informed him, Dad I'm 27 I'm married I have 2 kids and I'm a lawyer I'll make a bloody sandwich if I want to. Dad immediately thought it the funniest thing he had heard and from that day on it was safe for a Doran to make a sarnie at the table. Thanks for that one Cath.
On the day Cath passed I received a text from Erin Liz and I were in the pre dawnLondon underground heading to Gatwick and my phone promptly died. Unable to re charge it wasn't until later that evening I was able to read my messages which of course were loaded with friends and family from all over the world Hilda, Awdie and Anett in Italy sent a beautiful message about "lovely Cath"and the tears we must have shed, and how she's reunited with mum and dad, "all together in peace and happiness, we'll have a mass said for the three of them" Dot Colgan wrote"we all know she is in a better place, Love to all. So many messages and one stood out from our old friend Kim who has lived in Japan for the last 35 years he wrote"just heard about Cath so sorry to hear that . Love to you and all the family I replied thank you it's a blessing for her she had been unwell for a long time and he wrote back, "maybe I'm lucky I just remember our hilarious days at UWA together" this brought back quite a few old memories and for the last couple of days I've been trying to cobble together a story suitable for the eulogy format but nothing has made it past the editing process. Cath was known, loved and fondly remembered by so many people.
Mother to Erin and Seth, mother in law to Jessie. Grandmother to Sonny and and of course, sister cousin and friend to many We have all suffered a great injustice and loss at her early passing , in some ways she has already been gone too long. Today offers a chance to reflect and remember Catherine Mary Doran
