Maureen Flavin Sweeney | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mary Christine Flavin 3 June 1923 |
| Died | 17 December 2023 (aged 100) |
| Occupation(s) | Post mistress, weather observer |
| Known for | Made first observation of coming storm that threatened Allied vessels in the English Channel, led to change of date for 1944 invasion of France |
Maureen Flavin Sweeney (3 June 1923 – 17 December 2023) was an Irish postmistress. She grew up in County Kerry but moved to Blacksod, County Mayo, at the age of 18 to take up a position at a post office. One of Flavin Sweeney's duties was to make weather observations that were reported to Allied forces during the Second World War. Blacksod's position on the west coast made it one of the first stations to report westerly storms.
On 3 June 1944, her 21st birthday, Flavin Sweeney made the first observation of a coming storm that threatened Allied vessels in the English Channel. Following her observation, the U.S. commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, agreed to postpone the invasion of France by 24 hours, from 5 June to 6 June. After the war, Flavin Sweeney took over the post office, running it until her retirement in the 2000s. She received recognition for her wartime role from the U.S. Congress in 2021.