Countess Irene Wedell was founding president of the Danish support group,
Pattaya Dansk Fonden, from 2003 to 2009.
Countess Irene Wedell
1932 - 2010
She first visited Pattaya in 1999 when she volunteered at
Fr. Ray Brennan’s projects, spending her days playing with the babies and
toddlers, changing diapers, helping at meal times and bathing the children.
She also became interested in the plight of the street kids of Pattaya,
particularly young girls, and it was during this time that she became good
friends with Fr. Ray.
In 2003 when scurrilous reports about Fr. Ray appeared in
the Danish media, the Countess stood and defended her friend, publicly
stating that the accusations were untrue and she would be continuing to
support the work in Pattaya. This support came in the form of the Pattaya
Dansk Fonden 2003 and they have continued to support the work of the Father
Ray Foundation, most recently supporting the building of the Half Way House
at the Fr. Ray Drop-In Center.
Countess Irene was a Lady in Waiting to Her Majesty Queen
Margrethe of Denmark and in 1997 the Countess became the first non-Royal to
be honoured with the title, Lady of the Bedchamber.
Her charity work was not devoted just to the work in
Pattaya as she was also involved with the Danish Red Cross and the Danish
Refugee Council.
Countess Irene lived in a castle, the beautiful
Frijsenborg in Jutland, and each year she opened the castle doors to the
paying public and all proceeds were sent to Pattaya.
Countess Irene Wedell was buried near her home in
Denmark, but on the morning of her funeral a special Memorial Mass was held
in Fr. Ray’s chapel. Attended by over 100 children and workers they came to
pay respect to a lady whose devotion to the children of Pattaya has greatly
improved their lives.
