Recent deaths 10-01-09

Tony Ayton, Waterford Former trade unionist Tony Ayton who passed away last week following a long battle with cancer lived in Trim for several years and has strong family connections in the area. Mr Ayton (59) worked for many years with SIPTU before becoming Ireland"s first inspector for the International Transport Workers Federation in 2000. He played a pioneering role in highlighting the abuse of seafarers" rights, for people working on ships visiting Irish ports. Deceased retrieved over $1 million in arrears of pay for seafarers during his six-year term and established the ITF as a credible and effective organisation. His dispute on board the Alda K in 2003, a six-month battle to have the Syrian crew of this Tonga-registered freighter paid and repatriated, brought the appalling conditions on many 'Flag of Convenience" (FoC) vessels to the attention of the Irish public for the first time. Mr Ayton was born in 1949 at Ballindrait, Stranorlar, Co Donegal. He attended Raphoe National School and was a trade union activist from the time he started work for the Office of Public Works in the mid-1960s. The last industrial dispute controversy he was involved with before illness forced him to retire was at Irish Ferries in 2005-"06. The company refused to allow him or the ITF co-ordinator for Britain and Ireland, Norrie McVicar, to board its vessels in a dispute over pay and conditions for new agency crews. Irish Ferries ships were immobilised by trade union SIPTU and Seaman"s Union of Ireland crews for three weeks until decent pay and conditions were secured. Mr Ayton was active in getting his message across up until the end and his most recent letter offering opinion on registering commercial ships was published in the Irish Times on Monday, 22nd December, eight days before he passed away. Deceased had been residing in Avondale Lawns, Kilcohan in Waterford city with his wife Eileen and daughter Brenda for the past 12 years. His mother, Jenny, lives in Griffin Park, Trim and Mr Ayton was a regular visitor. He was predeceased by his father, Paddy, in 2001. He is survived by his wife, Eileen; daughter, Brenda; mother, Jenny; brothers, Patsy (Ballindrait, Donegal), John (Haggard St, Trim), Charlie (Griffin Park, Trim), Willie (Cheshire Home, Phoenix Park), Tommy (De Lacy Crescent, Trim); and sisters Mag (Island View, Waterford), Trish (Sarsfield Avenue, Trim), and Ann (Cherryvalley, Rathmolyon). Chris Coyne, Navan The regretted death occurred on 27th December last of Mrs Chris Coyne, Moatlands Drive, Navan. Aged 61, she was a national school teacher and a member of the teaching staff at Lismullen National School for 35 years prior to her retirement in 2003. A member of the O"Reilly family of Crossreagh, Mullagh, she is survived by her husband, Gerry; sons, Kevin and Ronan; brothers, Michael and Phil, both Mullagh; sisters, Breda, Killinkere, Co Cavan, and Bernadette, Templeogue, Dublin; nieces, nephews and other relatives. Her funeral took place from St Killian"s Church, Mullagh, to Mullagh Cemetery. Shane O"Connor, Carnaross The community of Carnaross and neighbouring villages were shocked and saddened by the untimely death of Shane O"Connor (4) in a tragic accident on a neighbouring farm on 6th December last. Shane was a pupil of Scribbles Montessori School in Maghera and was very much looking forward to attending Carnaross NS next September. He was a member of the Navan Academy of Drama, which holds classes in Virginia every Wednesday. He also loved attending Carnaross GFC underage football matches, in which his brothers, Ronan, Brian and Padraig, were involved. Shane is survived by his dad, Bernard; mother, Alice; sister, Aoife; brothers, Ronan, Brian and Padraig; uncles, George and Tom O"Connor, Ardamagh, and Michael Farrelly, Boolies, Balrath; aunts-in-law, Lucia and Kathleen O"Connor and Sheila Farrelly; cousins, George, Turlough and Jane O"Connor; Sean, Niamh, Thomas and Grainne O"Connor; Niamh and Ciara Farrelly; granduncle and grandaunts-in-law, and other relatives. Shane"s remains were removed from his home to St Ciaran"s Church, Carnaross, where the funeral Mass was concelebrated by Monsignor John Hanley, PP, Carnaross, assisted by Fr Jim Sheridan and Fr Patrick Sheridan, Passionist Order, Mount Argus, Dublin, cousins of Mrs Alice O"Connor; Fr Patrick Casey, former PP, Carnaross; Fr Joe McEvoy, PP, Moynalty; Fr Cusack and Fr Prior, Maghera. Burial took place afterwards in Carnaross Cemetery. Shane"s Month"s Mind Mass will take place today (Wednesday) in Carnaross Church at 7.30pm. Helen Tevlin, Trim The regretted death occurred at her home on 9th December last of Mrs Helen Tevlin (nee Farrell), Manor Lodge, Trim. Mrs Tevlin (92) was a native of Longford and was predeceased by her first husband, Ken Kilbride, in 1959, and her second husband, Joe Tevlin, in 1996. Deceased is survived by her daughters, Penny Donohoe, Margaret Cody and Judith Stanistreet; brother, sons-in-law, grandchildren, great grandchildren and other relatives. Following the funeral Mass in St Patrick"s Church, Trim, she was laid to rest in St Loman"s Cemertery, Trim. Annie Farrell, Rathmolyon Mrs Annie (Nancy) Farrell, Rathflesk, Rathmolyon, whose death occurred shortly before Christmas at Our Lady"s Hospital, Navan, was a member of the Murray family from Clondougan, Summerhill. Aged 85, she was predeceased by her husband, John, in 1992. She worked for a number of years in the Russell Hotel in Dublin. Deceased is survived by her sons, Dennis, Clondougan; Joseph, Maynooth; Patrick, Rathflesk; Tom, Rathflesk; Michael, Leamonaghan, Co Offaly; John, Edenderry, Co Offaly; Hubert, Trim, and Oliver, Navan, and daughter, Jean, Poole, Dorset, England. The funeral took place from St Michael"s Church, Rathmolyon, to Kill Cemetery, Rathmolyon.