Obituaries 11-12-2010

Obituaries often point to the fact that the large and extensive attendance at the funeral of a deceased person highlighted the esteem in which they were held. That was most certainly true at the weekend when the removal and funeral of Aidan Murray took place in Kilmessan. What made it all the more a testament to Aidan Murray and his wife, Mary, was the crowds of all ages who made their way to the Murray homestead in Balgeeth, and to the Church of the Nativity, to say farewell to Aidan and sympathise with Mary, in the face of the most atrocious conditions which saw the Army arrive to clear the snow in the village on Friday. If it had been another time, Aidan Murray and his trusted camera would have been on hand to record the Defence Forces in action, as he had been recording events in the Kilmessan, Dunsany and Tara areas for half a century. Just two years ago, at the parish's pre-Christmas mince pie gathering, Aidan and Mary Murray were honoured for their work in the community as parish priest, Fr Terry Toner, and locals hosted a function in Kilmessan Hall. At his funeral Mass on Sunday, Fr Val Collier, SDB, described Aidan Murray as a colossus to him and other children who grew up in Kilmessan in the 1950s and 1960s, for what he was doing for children and young people in the parish. As well as that, he was involved in community, social and farming organisations throughout his lifetime. “From early on, he became involved in a number of organisations which were vital in the development of the community and the parish of Kilmessan,†Fr Collier said. He became chairman of the National Farmers' Association, later the Irish Farmers' Association, and held that post for 20 years. He was instrumental in setting up a co-op in Kilmessan to assist farmers in the purchase of seeds, fertiliser and goods at reasonable costs. Deceased was very involved in Munitir na Tire for a long number of years. He played a leading role in organising the annual children's sports day. And Fr Collier recalled: “He would have the right equipment, microphone and loudspeaker systems in place and he would provide a commentary and was great at encouraging all of us to participate and do our best in various events.†Apart from his involvement in the sports, every Christmas, he would take out his projector and show children's movies, 'Laurel and Hardy', the 'Three Stooges' and cartoons at a party in the hall for all the children of the parish. The annual excursion to Dublin Zoo and Bettystown beach also has fond memories for many generations of Kilmessan people. The Murray's holiday caravan at Bettystown was at the disposal of many, while they provided a great deal of local employment through their farm and the furniture-covering business run from Balgeeth for brother Frank's Navan firm. Aidan and Mary Murray organised an annual wheel of fortune in Kilmessan to raise funds for older people's break away in Ozanam House, Mornington, while Mrs Murray also ran one for the Sisters of Mercy in Drogheda. They were also instrumental in the establishment of Kilmessan Tidy Towns committee, which went on to enjoy such great success. In later years, Mr Murray helped out in the work on Kilmessan cemetery. Aidan Murray was a keen photographer, and built up a photographic collection recording the social life of Kilmessan over half a century. Every event of significance from christenings, confirmations, weddings, GAA games, parish events and more are included, and if he and Mary attended a function or event, the organisers or family involved got an album of photographs as a present afterwards. There were times, as technology was advancing, that he moved into slides and cinecameras and, in the early 1980s, held an exhibition of his collection in the then branch library in the Church of Ireland in Kilmessan. The local national school has a gallery of his photography, and many of the photographs used in the Kilmessan Dunsany millennium memoir 'On The Banks of the Skane' in 2001, were contributed by Mr Murray, with some from his mother's collection. Many will recall the Murrays showing films by projectors in halls around the county, as well as slide shows of various events and trips. He also organised many family reunions and gatherings to remind his many relatives of their collectiveness and closeness, as many were scattered far and near. Son of RJ Murray of Balgeeth, who was a Meath County Councillor, and Johanna (Loughran), deceased married Mary Diviney of nearby Cardiffstown, in Skryne Church in 1947. They lived in Sligo for some years, before returning to Balgeeth on his father's death in 1954. While involved in the family's timber operations, Aidan and Mary also established a business showing films and cinema reels around the village and town halls of Sligo, as well as various hospitals, which were the precursor of today's mobile cinema in an era before rural electrification. They brought projector, generator, and in some cases, seating, for the audiences. Deceased was an adventurous farmer who tried his hands at many different enterprises. He grew carrots and strawberries, and even designed his own machinery for washing and cleaning the carrots for market. When he later turned to dairying, he was one of the first around Kilmessan to install his own milking parlour. In the 1950s, farms were beginning to be modernised and machinery was being introduced. When neighbours had breakdowns, they came to Mr Murray to have their machine fixed. He was the one with the engineering brain who could fix anything, and was always ready to oblige. He was forever coming up with new devices for different tasks, following in the footsteps of his late father, who also had a marvellous mechanical mind. Then, just over a decade ago, he turned to forestry and planted 35 acres, spraying it every summer for four years to ensure it survived, and was recognised at the national forestry awards in the RDS for his plantation. The Murrays were invited to meet President Mary McAleese in Aras an Uachtarain in October 2005 as representatives of the farming community, when the President told them of her many happy memories of cycling around their area when she lived in the locality. Aidan Murray was also very involved in the committee which organised the return of the statue of St Patrick to the Hill of Tara, and in recent years, one of his hobbies was to fashion a shamrock out of used horseshoes, which he enjoyed giving to visitors. With his long involvement in the local community, as well as his father's role as a county councillor, Aidan Murray had a wealth of information and was a great source of stories and knowledge on the area. Fr Collier also described his as “a man of faith, and out of his belief came action, decisive action and leadership in the local communityâ€. At Sunday's funeral Mass, a number of gifts were brought to the altar reflecting on Aidan Murray's life: a jar of lollies and bag of bon-bons to remind of his good and giving spirit; his camera; a copper carving of a fish which he made himself; and his school science project, completed at the age of 16 in 1936, a reminder of his keen intellect and his life-long passion for farming and nature. Also recited was a poem written by Maire Oakes, entitled 'Magic Man', recalling all the facets of 'Uncle Aidan's' life. The attendance included the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, TD, and Mrs Bernadette Dempsey. Mr Murray passed away on Friday morning at Hampstead Nursing Home, Dublin, having celebrated his 90th birthday in August. He was the last surviving son of the Murray family, and was predeceased by his brothers, Cormac, Ardsallagh; Kevin, Sligo; Kieran, Kilmessan; Frank, Hayes, Navan; and sisters, Maud Farrelly, Kilmessan; Finola Oakes, Bellinter; Una Ivory, Waterford; Rita Mulvaney-Fitzsimons, Oakstown, Dunshaughlin, and Navan, and Joan Sampson, Toronto, Canada. He is survived by his wife, Mary; sister, Sr Dolores (Sisters of Charity); Kevin Doyle; nephews, nieces, extended family and relatives. The family has requested that donations in his memory, if desired, be made to the local branch of the Alzheimer's Association. _____________________________________________________________ Helen Carolan, Navan The death occurred last Thursday, at Woodlands Nursing Home, Navan, where she had been resident for a number of years, of Mrs Helen Carolan, Athlumney, Navan, and formerly of Kilcarn Park, Navan. She was aged 79. The late Mrs Carolan was widow of the late Mr Pat Carolan, a member of Meath's fabled 1949 All-Ireland-winning team, and a well-known cattle farmer and horse-breeder. Mrs Carolan's sad death came almost a year to the day following her husband's passing. A member of the Davis family of Market Square, Navan, her late father, Denis, was managing director of the Meath Chronicle for many years. She was predeceased by her brother, Jim Davis, and sisters, Maura Kells and Aileen Kavanagh. Mrs Carolan and her husband and their family initially lived for many years at Kilcarn Park, where they ran an extensive and successful cattle and horse-breeding enterprise, and were regulars at race meetings throughout the country. They also lived for a time at Brownstown, Navan, before moving to Athlumney. Mrs Carolan will be greatly missed by her family and her many friends and acquaintances throughout the Navan area and beyond. Deceased is survived by her sons, Denis, John and Matthew; daughters, Ruth, Lynn and Jane; brothers, Paddy and Donal; sister-in-law, Deirdre; sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and extended family. There was a large and representative attendance, despite the inclement weather conditions last weekend, at both the removal of her remains to Johnstown Church, last Friday evening, and at the funeral Mass on Saturday morning, which was celebrated by Johnstown PP, Fr Martin Mulvaney. Burial took place afterwards in Kilcarn Cemetery. _____________________________________________________________ Opeline Fitz Herbert, Navan The recent death occurred at Our Lady's Hospice, Harolds Cross, Dublin, of Opeline Fitz Herbert, Blackcastle, Navan. She was the daughter of Baron Louis Henri Paul de Loë van Imstenraedt, late of the Royal Dutch Cavalry from Holland, and his wife, Gurli, who was Swedish.  Opeline Fitz Herbert was born in Buenos Aires on Christmas Eve 1934 while her father was on contract with Dutch Shell in Argentina. She was educated at Lincoln, the American School in Buenos Aires, from which she graduated in the class of 1951.  In 1953, her father arranged an extensive trip to Europe to make up for not being able to return to Holland during the Second World War and post-war years, travelling by ship and then buying a car to visit much of Europe.  It was on the return sea journey to Argentina that she met Ivo Fitz Herbert and his twin brother, De Winton, who were returning from a business trip to Europe. A romance ensued between Opeline and Ivo, and they married on 28th June 1955 in Buenos Aires.  Their first daughter, Désirée, was born in 1956. In 1960, Ivo and Opeline decided to go to Ireland to the Fitz Herbert family estate at Black Castle, Navan. It was a huge change in lifestyle for Opeline to leave Buenos Aires to live at Swynnerton, but she loved the beauty of the Boyne.  Opeline and Ivo made Swynnerton their home and had five more children there - Trevor, Monique, Michelle, Malcolm and David. They settled into their new way of life and made many friends.  When their children grew up, left home and pursued their own lives, Ivo and Opeline spent more time travelling abroad to warmer climates. Ivo passed away in July 2000. Opeline was diagnosed with cancer in June this year and sadly her time left was to be very short. It was something she never expected.  Her funeral Service took place at St Mary's Church of Ireland, Navan, and she was laid to rest at Donaghmore Cemetery.  Opeline loved life, and even during her illness, was hoping to get to her school reunion in Buenos Aires next year, March 2011. A strong-willed lady, she never gave up hope right to the end.  Deceased is survived by her six children, and by her seven grandchildren, Opeline, Alexander, James, Sasha, Sophia, Hugo and Ivo. She will be missed by all those who loved her.