BRIGID Wilkinson, who sadly died recently aged 87, was regarded as one of the top human rights activists and supporter of civil liberties organisations in the country.

Her well-attended funeral took place in St. John's Church, Cloughlea, Manor Kilbride and she was buried afterwards in the adjoining churchyard.

Brigid was a founding member and former honorary secretary of Amnesty International in Ireland. She was also closely involved with the Irish Association, the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.

She was born in Belfast in 1922 and was one of four children of Charles Wilson and his wife Marion Mcllrath. She father was a civil servant based in Singapore.

Brigid's education took place in Germany and England and she also studied social science at Trinity College.

Having witnessed one of Hitler's rallies as a young girl, she took an active role in the war against Nazism when a young woman. During World War II she served in the Wrens, but contracted TB and had to be discharged.

She married Dick Wilkinson in 1948 and they lived in north County Dublin, before moving to Brittas in County Wicklow in the 1960s.

In May of 1972 she was one of a group of Protestants living in the Republic who signed a statement saying that Southern Protestants had every opportunity to play a full part in the life of the community, a response to Northern criticism of the Republic. The statement also recognised that there were 'sensitive issues' facing Protestants, but they were 'far short of crucial' and adjustable by stages.'

As general secretary of the Irish Association for Cultural, Economic and Social Relations, she was a member of the committee that organised the association's 50th anniversary in 1988.

She was an avid lover of nature and was more than willing to help around the farm when necessary, even driving a tractor and plough at times. She organised countless fundraisers which she would host at her home.

She was also a lifelong supporter of the Irish rugby team, but notably took a stand against the controversial game against the Springboks in 1970. Both her and her daughters picketed the game in protest at apartheid. She carried out plenty of work for human rights and civil liberties causes, and was known to man the phones for the Samaritans.

Brigid was predeceased by her husband Dick, and is missed by her daughters Dikka, Janet, Emma, sons Richard and Graham and her grandchildren and many friends.