Obituaries 26-01-2013

Anne Malone, Ratoath Mrs Anne Malone, St Oliver's Park, Ratoath, who died on 29th December last, was a member of the Poleon family of Dunboyne. She passed away at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, aged 48. Mrs Malone is survived by her husband, Anthony; daughter, Karen; sons, Ben and Martin; grandsons, Ryhs, Max and Dean; parents, Anthony and Carmel Poleon; sisters, Marie, Carmel, Sandra, Tina, Lizzy and Chrissy; brothers, Anthony, Kevin and Robert; grandmother, Mary O'Toole; in-laws, John and Siobhan; relatives, neighbours and friends. The funeral took place from Holy Trinity Church, Ratoath, to the local cemetery, on New Year's Day. _______________________________________________________ Eleanor Delany, Drumree The dreath of Eleanor Delany, Bedfanstown, Drumree, at the age of 61, following a battle with cancer, left a huge void within her family, and in community and parish life in Culmullen. Deceased was the daughter of the late William Delany, Culmullen, and Bernice Delany (nee Murphy), from Cork. She was brought up in Batterstown and had one sibling, Edward. Family was an important part of her early years with much of it centred on her father's original family home in Woodtown. In later life, she spent much effort in researching a Delany family tree, tracing them back to Kilmessan in the 18th century, although her branch have lived at Woodtown since about 1820. Her maternal grandfather, Mattie Murphy, was also a very important influence in a happy childhood. Childhood holidays were mostly spent in Caherdaniel in Co Kerry. Eleanor was actively engaged in many sports. Horse riding was one of her early interests and she was an active member of the Meath Pony Club. She got her first pony in the late 1950s and he was called Roddy after Lord Fingal's famous Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Roddy Owen. Roddy had his own ideas on horse sport - he was energised by open country, the hunting fields, pony camp on the beach at Laytown and pony games. On the other hand, gymkhanas and showjumping were a mystery to him as he could not quite see the point in jumping coloured poles when going around the fences seemed a more reasonable strategy. Eleanor went to school in Rathnew, Co Wicklow. She excelled at sports - netball, lacrosse and tennis, where she was a particularly strong doubles player. She continued playing tennis competitively into her forties for clubs like North Kildare, where she won many doubles' trophies. At the end of her schooldays, she spent a year in England prior to completing a secretarial course in Dublin and joining the Irish Times for her first job. A lifelong interest in horse racing resulted in a job move to the Dublin office of a US bloodstock agency. She moved with the firm to the US in the early 1970s but came home to live in the family home in Batterstown early due to her father's illness. She then worked as a secretary for Loughtown Stud before returning to the Irish Times in the late 1970s. Her interest in racing also included being a member of a number of horse ownership syndicates with trainer John Hayden. Spinning a Yarn won in Wexford and Castlemartin Dawn won in Punchestown. In the 1970s, her interest in travel resulted in a six-week overland journey from Kenya to South Africa. She worked in Irish Times Training before moving to advertising jobs in Irish Field and the main Irish Times paper. She completed a Diploma in Public Relations about twenty years ago. For most of the 1980s, she lived in Dublin but she started to plan building her own house and moved to Bedfanstown at Cross Keys, Drumree, in 1990. Eleanor's battle with cancer started in 1997. She had a serious second bout in 2001 which she fortunately survived. Eleanor fought cancer steadfastly and without complaint. Her only concession to the illness was to retire early from the Irish Times in 2005. Her retirement signalled a rise in her voluntary work with a number of local organisations - Riding for the Disabled, Adult Literacy training, and work with Culmullen Hall. She also started an interest in glass-making. Eleanor got a lot of enjoyment from these activities and her final years in Culmullen were in many respects her most rewarding. Eleanor was actively involved with her nieces, nephew and godchildren. She had a wide circle of friends from the many aspects of her life and she was excellent at keeping in touch. She was noted for her patience and kindness and her interest in the local community. One of her projects in her final months was to design and plan a Culmullen Community Notice Board with the help of Brendan Doyle. The project will be completed in February 2013 driven by Monica Lynch, Ultan Blake and John Corrigan. Cancer resumed its war with Eleanor in early 2011. She spent her final months between the Mater Hospital and her sister-in-law and brother's home at Woodtown. Her funeral was in Culmullen, officiated by Fr John Kerrane and Fr John Moorhead, with burial in the adjoining cemetery. She is survived by her mother, Bernice; brother, Edward; nieces, Louise and Christine; nephew, Mark; sister-in-law, Eleanor, aunt Sr Inez (Dominican Convent, Cabra), Godchildren David Lawlor and Gillian Molloy, relatives and many friends. _______________________________________________________ Margaret Martin, Kilmessan There was widespread sadness following the sudden death of Mrs Margaret Martin, Kilcarty, Dunsany, on 13th November last, at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan. Aged 81, she was a member of the Doyle family of Kilmessan Station, and was predeceased by her husband, John, in July 1994. Mrs Martin is survived by her sons, JJ, Kilcarty, Pat, kilmessan, Paul, Kilmessan, and Andrew, Trim; daughters, Margaret Cottrell, Dunshaughlin, Anne Whelan, Trim, Pauline Killion, Kilmessan, Valerie Lynskey, Cork; sisters, Anne Lynch, Dunshaughlin, Kathleen Kelly, Newcastle, Co Down, and Betty Clarke, Bective; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. The funeral took place from the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kilmessan to the adjoining cemetery, celebrated by Fr Terry Toner, Pp, Kilmessan, Fr Joe Clavin, PP, Dunshaughlin and Fr Bobby Gilmore, SSC. _______________________________________________________ Hughie McDermott, Kilmainhamwood The regretted death of Mr Hughie McDermott, Whitewood, Kilmainhamwood, Kells, took place peacefully on Christmas Day last, at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, aged 56. A native of Whitewood, he was son of the late Hugh and Rose McDermott. He had worked as a farmer from an early age with Horgans, and continued this career until his death. He is survived by his brothers, Paddy, Kilmainhamwood; Sean, Moynalty; Thomas, Liam and Laurence, Whitewood; Seamus, Nobber; and Paul, Barleyhill; sisters, Margaret and Rosemary, Kingscourt; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; nephews, nieces; uncles; aunts, relative sand friends. The funeral took place from the Church of St John the Baptist, Nobber, to the adjoining cemetery. A month's memory Mass takes place on Sunday 27th January at 11am in Nobber Church. _______________________________________________________ Brigid O'Callaghan-Fanning, Clonalvy and Drogheda The death occurred on 4th December last, at the age of 93, of Mrs Brigid O'Callaghan-Fanning, East Rand, Ballymakenny, Drogheda. Deceased was a native of Hammondtown, Clonalvy, one of a family of six sons and two daughters of Mary and Patrick Fanning. She was educated at Clonalvy NS, boarding school in Gorey and St Martha's Domestic Education College, Navan. She rented a premises beside the Tivoli Theatre in Dublin and ran a business from there, before she met Henry O'Callaghan, a butcher from Ongenstown, Navan. They were married in Clonalvy in June 1947. She worked alongside Henry at his business in Shop Street, Drogheda, doing office work and deliveries. In 1963, they moved to Ballymakenny. Predeceased by her husband, Mrs O'Callaghan-Fanning is survived by her daughters, Noeleen, Jacinta, Fidelma; sons, Pearse and Roy; grandchildren, great grandchildren; sons-in-law; daughters-in-law; sisters-in-law; nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. _______________________________________________________ Eileen Desiderio, Robinstown There was widespread sadness following the death, at the age of 67, of Mrs Eileen Desiderio, Dunlough, Robinstown, on 8th January last at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan. Deceased (nee Whelan) was a native of Kilmessan and had also lived in Chicago. She had been married to Leonard Desiderio. She is survived by her daughters, Deirdre Clinch, Robinstown; Michelle Turner, Chicago, Emily Cahill, Navan; sons-in-law, Michael, Danny and Stephen; grandchildren, Sharon, Katie, Kevin, Heather, Jeanette, Michael, Melissa, Jenna and Conor; great grandchildren, Sean, Liam and Mia; sisters, Deirdre Cahill and Betty Fitzsimons; brothers-in-law; nephews; nieces; relatives and friends. The funeral took place from Robinstown Church to Kilmessan Cemetery. _______________________________________________________ Michael Brady, Slane Mr Michael Brady, Rushwee, Slane, who died in his 97th year on 5th January last, at his home, was a retired farmer. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary, in December 2008. Deceased is survived by his sons, John, Kevin; grandsons, Daniel and Darren, family; relatives and friends. He was brother of the late Fr Erc, Columban Fathers. The funeral took place from St Patrick's Church, Rushwee, to the adjoining cemetery. _______________________________________________________ Sr Veronica Smith, Ballinlough and Dublin Sr Veronica Smith, of St Vincent's Centre, Navan Road, Dublin, who has died aged 83, was a native of Patrickstown, Ballinlough, Kells. She passed away on 3rd January last at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. Deceased, a member of the Daughters of Charity order, was very involved in community life on the Navan Road. She worked in the parish till the end of her life, despite being a wheelchair user due to Multiple Sclerosis. She was well known to Dublin Bus drivers as she travelled extensively to visit the sick and the needy, and will be greatly missed by the retired community for whom she organised bingo twice weekly, various lunch outings and trips to resorts, and an annual Christmas lunch with Santa at the Riverfront Hotel, Virginia, every year for the past 20 years. In 1996, Sr Veronica was chosen as the Dubliner of the Month in a competition run by the Irish Independent, National Irish Bank and Classic Hits 98FM. The Independent highlighted all her work with the elderly at the time, including managing a home help service for the elderly of Dublin 7. Predeceased by her sister, Kathleen, and brother, Bartle, she is survived by her brother Nicholas, Brigid and family, Mullaghea, Kells, and brothers, Larry and Bernard and their families in USA; her Community of the Daughters of Charity; neighbours and wide circle of friends of the Navan Road Parish and beyond. The funeral took place from the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, Navan Road to Glasnevin Cemetery, on 5th January last. _______________________________________________________ Greta Tighe, Stackallen and Birmingham The funeral Mass takes place in Birmingham, England, tomorrow (Thursday) of Mrs Greta (Gertrude) Tighe, Ladywood, Birmingham, who died on 10th January last, aged 82. Deceased was a native of Cruicestown, Stackallen, Navan, and was a member of the Donnellan family. She was predeceased by her husband, John Tighe, and her daughter, Sadie. She is survived by her family, Thomas, Mary, Eileen, John, Kevin, Patricia, and Brian; partner, John; grandchildren; great grandchhildren; sister-in-law; nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. The removal to St Anne's Church, Alcester Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, takes place this evening (Wednesday), and the funeral there will be followed by burial in Kings Northmon Cemetery, Birmingham.