Obituaries 23-02-2013

Phyllis Bird, Athboy At the weekend, the town of Athboy bade farewell to Mrs Phyllis Bird, who for over 50 years ran the family grocery business at Main Street with her husband, Ollie. She passed away on Thursday last, 14th February, at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, having resided in recent years at St Elizabeth's Nursing Home. Ollie and Phyllis Bird opened a grocery store on Main Street in September 1955, just a month after they married. The business is one of a number in Athboy, Ballivor and Navan now run by their son, Jim. Deceased was a native of Kildalkey, and in his recently published memoir, Ollie Bird recalled how he got to know his future wife. He was working at the time in Gaffney's public house and general grocery in Longford town. He wrote: "One day in the summer of 1942, as I was out cleaning the window of Gaffneys, I noticed a little smiling girl coming towards me and wheeling a pram. As she came closer, I realised that she was a girl I knew well from my home village in Kildalkey. "It so happened that this little smiling girl was Phyllis McDonnell. To explain the pram, she was down in Longford with the O'Brien family, doing a little babysitting. They were related through marriage. To make a long short, I watched out for that pram every day during her visit to Longford, and Gaffneys' windows were never kept so clean." Phyllis McDonnell lived with her aunt, Annie, and her sister, Carrie, in Kildalkey where they had a general grocery store. Ollie Bird's first date some years later with his future wife was at a tennis dance in Carnisle School in Kildalkey, and he brought her home on his tandem bike that night. They were married by Ollie's brother, Fr Jim Bird, on 4th August 1955, with a reception in the Grand Hotel, Malahide, and with a new business and new house, the first year of married life was busy. The Birds continued to run the business which was to become central to Athboy life for the next half of century, before handing over the reins to the next generation. Mrs Bird was renowned for her ability to tot up a bill in the shop without needing to resort to a calculator or cash register. Mrs Bird is survived by her husband, Ollie; daughter, Anne Leavy; son, James; son-in-law, Seán; daughter-in-law, Lynn; grandchildren, Ellen, Jack and Peter; sister, Caroline Carroll; extended family Oliver, Des and Tony McDonnell, Bebe, Tommy and Jimmy Groarke; relatives and friends. There were large attendances at the removal from Mullen's Funeral Home to St James' Church, Athboy, on Friday evening; and at the funeral to St James' Cemetery on Saturday. The celebrant was Fr Patrick O'Connor, PP, Athboy, assisted by Fr Oliver Devine, PP, Kildalkey and Fr Sean Garland, PP, Clonmellon. ______________________________________________________ Mary Jane Smith, Navan The regretted death occurred of Mrs Mary Jane Smith (nee Reilly), Woodlands, Navan, peacefully at her home on 28th January last, aged 66. Deceased was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother and loved nothing more that being surrounded by her family and friends. She will be sadly missed by her family and all who knew and loved her. She is survived by her loving husband, Jimmy; daughters, Sandra, Mary; son, James; grandchildren, Aoife, Dara, Cliona, Aoibhin, Adam, Emily, Sean and Seamus; sons-in-law, Ciaran and Roy; daughter-in-law, Helen; sister, Philomena; brothers, Frank, Jim and Oliver; brothers-in-law; sisters in law; nieces; nephews; extended family and friends. The funeral tool place from St Mary's Church, Navan to Beauparc Cemetery, celebrated by Fr Stephen Kelly. A month's memory Mass will take place in St Mary's Church, Navan on Sunday 24th February at 1pm. ____________________________________________________________ Donie Smyth, Fordstown The death of Mr Donie Smyth, Drewstown, Fordstown, Navan, on 7th February last, was the source of widespread regret. He worked in construction and in agriculture for many years and in recent years, for McCann and Byrne, Athboy. He loved the outdoors and was a keen cyclist, and also enjoyed tending his garden. Deceased was a member of the C&C Gun Club, and had a wide interest in sport and the Meath football team in particular. He was very involved in the local community and helping his neighbours. He is survived by his brother, Martin, Athboy; niece, Susan O'Shea, Drewstown; nephews, Patrick, Athboy; Anthony, Kerry; Gordon, Dublin; Damien, Athboy; sisters-in-law; nephew - and nieces-in-law; relatives and friends. The funeral took place from the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Girley, to Girley Cemetery. A month's memory Mass will take place on Sunday 10th March in Girley Church, at 10am. ____________________________________________________________ Noel Matthews, Navan and Wexford Retired Detective Garda Sergeant Noel Matthews, Templescoby, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, who died on 8th February last, was a native of Proudstown Road, Navan. Aged 70, he passed away after a long battle with illness. Deceased played hurling with the De La Salle club in Navan up until 1961, and went on to win an intermediate hurling championship with Navan O'Mahonys that year. His father, Joe, was a prominent member of the Navan O'Mahonys set-up. In 1964, he joined the Garda Siochana and went to Templemore Training College, and on graduation was posted to Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, where he was to send the majority of his time, apart from a posting to Naas for some years when appointed sergeant. He was involved in the setting up of the Enniscorthy branch of the Junior Traffic Warden scheme in 1972 and took part in training students at the Presentation Convent. Mr Matthews got involved in GAA almost immediately after moving to the town and quickly became a regular at full back for the Enniscorthy Starlights GAA Club. He played every game fair and clean and loved football. He also played hurling with St Aidan's and Shamrocks. He was honoured at the recent Sean Gael awards in Wexford, described as "one of the most likeable individuals that you could meet on and off the field". Deceased was also a skilled referee and officiated over a number of county finals in the 1970s, including both a hurling and football county final in the one year. In 2009, he retired as chairman of the County Hearings Committee. Mr Matthews was a founder of the Hope Cancer Support Centre in Enniscorthy after he was first diagnosed with cancer in the late 1990s, and realised there was a need for somewhere to offer support and practical information to those who are suffering. Hope had first started in 1999 when he and two other cancer sufferers met by chance. Following this initial meeting decided that they would meet every Friday morning to talk and support each other. Mr Matthews was the first chairperson of the Hope Cancer Support Centre and was later given the honour, in October 2007, of cutting the ribbon on a new facility in Upper Weafer Street in the town. He continued to tend the gardens at the centre in retirement. The present chairperson, Margo Kehoe, said: "He was a quiet, decent man, a gentle giant. If he heard of anyone that was sick but was maybe not inclined to come to the centre, he would visit them and network in his own quiet, unassuming way." She added that it was only when she received feedback from people who used Hope that she realised how important it was to people and how much it had helped them. "We worked so closely with him for years and the feedback we get is so positive. It's a wonderful legacy for Noel to leave behind and without his foresight into the importance of support for people, Hope might never have happened." Mr Matthews is survived by his wife, Joan; family, Paul, Colum and Sandra; brothers, Peter and Paul, both Navan; sister Marie Lynch, Trim; father-in-law; son-in-law; daughters-in-law; grandchildren; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; nephews; nieces; relatives and friends. The funeral took place from St Aidan's Cathedral, Enniscorthy, to Newbawn Cemetery. ____________________________________________________________ Joe O'Rourke, Slane Mr Joe (Joey) O'Rourke, Ardcalf, Slane, who has died aged 68, was a former owner of the Man O'War Pub, and the Old Mill Bar in Rush. A native of Cloghran, Swords, he died at Ardcalf on Christmas Eve. He was involved in horses and Drogheda United Football Club. Mr O'Rourke is survived by his daughter, Kadie Sweetman O'Rourke, Padua Golf Road, Skerries, Co Dublin; extended family, relatives and friends. The funeral took place from Slane Church to St Erc's Graveyard. ____________________________________________________________ Larry Smith, Kells Widespread regret was occasioned by the death of Mr Laurence (Larry) Smith, O'Growney Terrace, Kells, on 26th January last at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, aged 87. Deceased was a native of Clover Hill, Balrath, Kells, and was a retired Tara Mines employee. An avid GAA supporter, he enjoyed walking and loved to chat with his neighbours and friends during his daily walks. Mr Smith was a devout Catholic and attended 7.45am Mass in Kells for many years. Family was always his first priority in life and he was a devoted husband to Bridie for 57 years. He will be remembered as a gentleman who had time and a smile for everybody who had the pleasure of knowing him. He will be dearly missed by his family and all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Bridie; sons, Gerard and Paul, Kells; daughters, Clarise and Ann Marie, Kells and Veronica, Navan; sisters, Josie Reddy, Kells and Clarise Reilly, Cavan; daughters-in-law, Ann and Deirdre; sons-in-law, Martin, Peter and Padraig; and 11 grandchildren. The funeral took place from St Colmcille's Church, Kells, to St Colmcille's Cemetery. A month's memory Mass will be held on Sunday 3rd March at 11am in St Colmcille's Church, Kells. ____________________________________________________________ Ita Duffy, Navan and Limerick The death occurred in Limerick on 26th December last, following a short illness, of Mrs Ita Duffy, a member of the Reilly family of Academy Street, Navan. The third youngest in her family, she grew up and was educated in Navan. She was initially employed in Drogheda Telephone Exchange and later in the Navan Exchange. Deceased married Martin Duffy from Galway in 1970. After postings in Galway, Sligo and Ballinasloe, the family settled in Limerick in 1974. She was actively involved in her community in Limerick. For over 25 years, she was a member of the Sociey of St Vincent de Paul and she was also involved with the local credit union and school activities. Mrs Duffy never forgot her roots in Navan and was a regular visitor to the town. Christmas, Easter and summer holidays were spent in Navan. She was a regular reader of the Meath Chronicle and arranged that a copy would be posted to her weekly. A devoted sister, wife, mother and grandmother, she loved nothing more than being surrounded by her family and friends. She is survived by her husband, Martin; daughters, Teresa, Anne and Olive; grandchildren, Maeve, Patrick and Eamonn; sister, Marie; brothers Eamonn, Michael, USA, Patrick, John, Dermot and Brendan, and extended family, relatives and friends. ____________________________________________________________ Kathleen Thornton, Enfield There was considerable sadness following the passing of Mrs Kathleen Thornton, Blackwater Park, Enfield, at the Mater Hospital, Dublin, on 21st January last, aged 79. She was a member of the Foylan family, of Crinkle, Birr, Co Offaly, and was predeceased in 2003 by her husband, Raphael. Deceased was a retired bar maid who worked in many establishments in the area, including Dorey's Forge, Moynalvey, and Corscadden's Hotel, Kilcock. She and her late husband were well known in and around Enfield village. One of her favourite pastimes was watching her beloved Manchester United on television. She will be remembered as a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother to her family who lovingly christened her 'Bid'. Mrs Thornton is survived by her daughters, Katherine and Marie, Gloucester, England; son, Edward, Summerhill; sons-in-law, Russ and Phil; daughter-in-law, Winnie; grandchildren, great grandchildren, brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; nephews; nieces; relatives and many friends. The funeral took place from the Church of the Nativity, Moynalvey, to the adjoining cemetery. ____________________________________________________________ Thomas Cassidy, Slane The death recently occurred at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, of Mr Thomas (Tommy) Cassidy, Coalpits, Slane. He was 64 and a native of the area. Deceased is survived by his wife, Irene; sons, Shane and Andrew, and daughters, Jeanette, Jillien, Caroline and Leeanne. Burial took place in St Erc's Cemetery, Slane, following the funeral Mass in St Patrick's Church, Slane.