When Madge Crilly died on 10 January 2005 in a nursing home, in her early nineties, the life of one of the oldest local Bahá’ís came to an end. She was very loyal and firm in what she believed, and quite fearless in telling anyone who would listen, including the paramilitaries, about the coming of Bahá'u'lláh.
Madge first came into contact with the Faith through Jamshid Arjomandi who lodged in her house while a student at Queen’s University Belfast. A short time afterwards she enrolled in the Faith and remained an active member of the Castlereagh Community until failing health made this no longer possible.
I attended countless firesides in Castlereagh in her home and elsewhere and have many wonderful memories of her. One is of dear Madge trying to row Vince (her husband), Marie and me across a lake to Devenish Island to see the Long Tower, and an equally unsuccessful attempt to drive to Rome to see the Pope at Easter. She is buried in Knockbreda Cemetery in Belfast.
I for one will sadly miss and fondly remember her. May Bahá’u’llah graciously advance her dear soul throughout all the worlds of God.
Eddie Whiteside
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