Obituaries 14th June 2014
Patsy Ratty, Navan
Patsy Ratty, who died suddenly on Tuesday morning of last week at the age of 79, was one of Navan O’Mahonys’ key players in the club’s 1950s and early ‘60s glory era, who also enjoyed success at junior and senior level with the county team.
Patsy, of St Mary’s Park in Navan, took ill and died suddenly while having breakfast with a regular group of friends and neighbours in a Navan cafe. He was a former town foreman, and was also a member of the fire service for almost 30 years.
He was one of the stars of the all-conquering Navan O’Mahonys team of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, and was on seven SFC winning sides. He also picked up five Feis Cup medals.
In 1953 when the coveted Keegan Cup was first competed for, Navan O’Mahonys emerged as the inaugural holders of the trophy with a 3-7 to 2-4 final victory over Trim.
Patsy was one of the stars of the success, playing at centre field, alongside team captain Tony McCormack. He went on to be an important part of O’Mahonys’ SFC five-in-a-row sequence of success between 1957 and ’61, playing at midfield or in the forwards.
Skryne were the Navan side’s main rivals during that historic period. A seventh SFC medal was gained in 1963 when St Vincent’s of Ardcath were overwhelmed in the final.
He played in an eighth SFC final in 1967 when Kilbride defeated O’Mahonys and continued playing up to 1970 when bowing out on a winning note with a starring display in the Junior B FC final triumph over local rivals Simonstown Gaels. He served on the O’Mahony’s executive committee for a period.
With the county, he was left full-forward on Meath’s All-Ireland JFC winning team in 1952, only the second time for the Royal County to win the title. After a ‘home’ final win over Donegal at Cavan’s Breffni Park, London were defeated by 3-9 to 0-4 in the final proper before an attendance of 8,000 at Pairc Tailteann.
Future All-Ireland senior winners Kevin Lenehan, Tom O’Brien and Tom Moriarty, as well as speedy forward Patsy, were on that team of 62 years ago.
Patsy Ratty went on to be part of Meath’s surprise annexation of the Sam Maguire Cup for the second time with a 1-13 to 1-7 success over hot favourites Kerry in 1954 when a substitute on the team captained by O’Mahonys clubmate, Peter McDermott.
He played in two National Football League finals, both losing appearances, against runaway winners Dublin in 1955 and Cork, who prevailed by one point the following year. In the 1956 semi-final against Armagh he scored seven of Meath’s eight points and gained the Irish Independent Sports Star of the Week accolade, the first O’Mahonys player to receive the award.
When his long playing career ended, Patsy continued his involvement with coaching and selection roles with a number of teams. At his funeral Mass, Fr Kevin Heery referred to his unique training methods, which involved ‘an hour of mixing cement’ before ballwork. Fr Heary recalled him as a man of great humour who loved life and sharing a joke, and who was looking forward to celebrating his 80th birthday later this year. He was a member of the 10am Mass community.
Patsy worked in the town’s furniture industry before taking up a role with the urban council, becoming town foreman in the 1980s. He was a member of the Navan Fire Service for three decades.
Husband of the late Patsy, he is survived by family, John, Siobhan and Patricia; sister, May; brother-in-law, Vincent; sons-in-law, Henry and John; daughter-in-law Cepta; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives and friends. The funeral took place on Thursday morning from St Mary’s Church to St Mary’s Cemetery, celebrated by Fr Heary, assisted by Deacon Robert McGivney.
Dympna Dolan, Donaghpatrick
There was widespread regret following the passing of Dympna Dolan, Tatestown, Donaghpatrick, Navan, on 10th May last, at Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, aged 70. Formerly Smyth-Lynch, she was a native of Kilberry, and was daughter of the late James and Bridget Smyth.
She is survived by her husband, Michael; daughters, Deirdre, Ciara, Siobhan, Eimer; son, Brian; sons-in-law, Carl and Robert; daughter-in-law, Roisin; grandchildren, D’Arcy, Ethan, Donnacha, and Aoife; sister, Mai Kenny; brothers-in-law, Arthur Clarke, Matt Dolan; sister-in-law, Alice Byrne; nieces and nephews; and many friends.
The funeral took place from St John the Baptist Church, Kilberry, to Kilberry Cemetery.
Mary Hughes, Oldcastle
The regretted death occurred on 12th May last, peacefully at home, of Mary Hughes, Tubride, Oldcastle, at the age of 73. A native of Skibereen, Co Cork, Mary (nee Evans) was married to Jim Hughes.
She is survived by Jim, and daughters, Catherine Gleeson, Ennis, Co Clare; Ann Foley, New York; Patricia Hegarty, Navan; and Olive Gaffney, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan; sons-in-law; grandchildren; brothers, Tom, Neily and Jimmy; sister-in-law; nieces; nephews; relatives and friends.
The funeral took place from St Bridget’s Church, Oldcastle, to the local cemetery.
Eamon Philips, Cortown
The death of Eamon Philips, Moyaugher, Cortown, Kells, on 9th May last, was the source of widespread regret. Aged 71, he passed away at Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan.
A native of Moyaugher, he was son of the late Nicholas and Julia Philips.
Deceased was passionate about wildlife, and enjoyed reading. He loved his days out, and weekends away with his wife Josie. He is survived by his wife, Josephine (nee McGovern); son, Edmund; daughters, Rosemaree, Julieanne and Nichola; daughter-in-law, Anto; son-in-law, Sean; grandsons, Robert, Darren and Eoin; granddaughters, Chloe and Aoife; sister; sisters-in-law; brothers-in-law; extended family and friends.
The funeral took place from the Church of Christ the King, Cortown, to Cortown Cemetery.
Breda Butler, Kells
Breda Butler, Robe House, Moy Park, Maudlin, Kells, who died last week, was mother of Meath West Dail deputy, Ray Butler.
Wife of the late Davy Butler, with whom she ran a supermarket business in the town, she is also survived by her sons Patrick and David and daughter, Aisling, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
She died on Sunday of last week, aged 85. The funeral took place from St Colmcille’s Church, Kells to St Colmcille’s Cemetery, on Wednesday.
Mary Dungan, Dunsany
There was great sadness following the sudden but peaceful passing at St Elizabeth’s Nursing Home, Athboy, on 16th May last, of Mary Dungan, Old Road, Killeen, Dunsany, aged 74. Deceased (nee Meenan) was wife of the late Jim Dungan, who died in September 2001.
Born in Glasgow, she grew up on Tory Island off Donegal, and met her husband when he was working in the construction industry in Scotland. They married in 1964 and lived at the Dungan family home on the Old Road in Dunsany, where they brought up a family of four.
Mary was a familiar figure in the community, involved in many parish activities and supporting all local fundraising events for church and school funds, as well as looking after her family. She also worked as a home help for many families in the area prior to becoming ill.
She is survived by her daughters, Mary Regan, Bailis Manor, Athlumney, Navan and Anne Gaffey, Gorrynagowna, Roscommon; sons, Tommy, Dun Eoin, Carrigaline, Co Cork and Kieran, Old Road, Dunsany; sons-in-law, Michael Regan and Tommy Gaffey; daughters-in-law, Linda and Diane Dungan; 11 grandchildren; sister, Sadie, Limerick; brothers, Michael, Castleknock, Co Dublin; Nicholas, Oxford, England; and John, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; nephews, nieces, relatives and many friends.
She was predeceased by her brother, Peter, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo.
The funeral took place from the Church of the Assumption, Dunsany, to the adjoining cemetery, celebrated by Fr Terry Toner. At the grave, Mary’s cousin, Michael Meenan, from Tory Island, threw some soil from the island onto the coffin, a tradition amongst families from the island.
Neil Halpin, Tara
Dunshaughlin GFC paid tribute to its former chairman, Neil Halpin, Colvinstown, Tara, who died peacefully at the Beacon Hospital, Dublin, on 14th April last, aged 68.
The club said it was with great sadness that it learned of his passing, which was greeted with great shock by members.
Neil became wholeheartedly involved in the Dunshaughlin club in the early 1990s when he and his wife, Martina, moved to live on Skryne Road. He served at committee level within the club and became chairman in 1996.
He held this position for a three-year term and during this time he was instrumental in working towards the development and acquisition of lands for new pitches.
The club made a massive breakthrough in 1997 to win the Intermediate Football Championship and this team would go on to record the great days by winning three senior football championship titles in a row. Having left his post as chairman Neil, along with his great friend Fergus O’Rourke, took over the management of the junior team in 1999.
This team went all the way to win B League Division 1 honours that year. Due to Neil’s infectious character and novel training methods, the team became affectionately known as the ‘Dream Team’. Many of the players went on to be part of the historic three-in-a-row team.
Fundraising was one of Neil’s great attributes and many of Dunshaughlin’s successful golf classics bore his hallmark. Along with Martina, he organised a very successful fashion show to raise much needed funding for the club.
Neil continued to support and sponsor the club through his involvement with BEKO Ireland right up until his illness. The club said he will be remembered as a decent, hardworking and proud North Meath man who brought passion and leadership to the club.
A native of Mooneystown, Drumconrath, Neil Halpin was eldest of the family of the late Patrick and Rose Halpin. He played football with Drumconrath in he earlier days.
He worked in the electrical retail and wholesale business, initially with retailer Berney Mastervision, and then working in wholesale across Ireland and Britain, living for a period in Evesham in the Cotswolds in England. He established NEPA, an electrical distribution company which was bought by BEKO, the second largest white goods brand in Western Europe, and he became chief executive of its Irish operation.
Other business interests included Halpin Travel and Ryan Lopez, a Spanish property business. A member of Royal Tara Golf Club, he was an important part of the sponsorship committee there and a leading supporter of the club.
He also sponsored Simonstown GAA club golf classics through his travel business.
He is survived by his wife, Martina; family, Conor, Maria, Majella, Neil, Shanelle, Yasmin and Jade; grandchildren, brothers, Oliver, Delvin, Gerry, Drumconrath, Kevin, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, sisters, Ann McCann, Dublin, Bernadette Usher, Navan, Geraldine Melia, Slane, Mary Samson, Ardee and Martina Kelly, Tallonstown; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends.
The funeral took place from the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Drumconrath, to Drumconrath Cemetery.
Anthony Cully, Navan
The regretted death occurred on 14th May last, at Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, of Anthony (Tony) Cully, Elm Drive, Athlumney Wood, Navan, aged 64. He is survived by his wife, Marie; sons, David, Navan; Austin, Dublin; and Karl, Dublin; brother, Michael Dublin; daughters-in-law; grandchildren; mother-in-law; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law; and nephews, Tony Cully and David Murphy.
The funeral took place from St Mary’s Church, Navan, to Mount Jerome Crematorium.
Mary Mulvaney, Crossakiel
A lady with a big heart, one in a million, independent, strong, talented, a true lady.
Those words were used by friends, family and neighbours as they gathered to pay their final respects to Mary Mulvaney over the weekend of 22nd May in Diamor.
Mary (nee Clarke) was a proud Cavan woman who moved to Diamor with her husband Peter when they got married in 1950. There she reared her eight children - Seamus (Clonmellon), Marie (Benson, Liverpool), Sean (Mullagh), the late Peter, Oliver (Crossakiel), Julie (Duffy, Lislogher, Athboy), Rita (Hannon, Diamor) and the late Gerard - and devoted her life to them.
As her family grew older, Mary joined various organisations. The Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, the local ICA and the Country Markets were a big part of Mary’s life as she spent many happy years catering for and looking after many people at various shows and events around the country.
Sorrow and grief entered her life in 1977, and again in 1990, when her sons Peter and Gerard died in car accidents. She was a deeply religious person and her faith and trust in God and Our Lady helped get her through these difficult times. Her husband, Peter, died in 1989.
Mary was a gifted lady with great patience and was competent in more than 20 crafts, such as dressmaking, knitting, sewing, crochet, leatherwork, rushwork, Carrickmacross Lace, and doll making, and she travelled throughout the countryside teaching and demonstrating these crafts to various organisations and met many famous people along the way.
Even singer Daniel O’Donnell had the privilege of carrying her bag for her on one occasion when he met her on a plane as she travelled to Liverpool.
Mary loved travelling and for over 40 years she organised weekends away to every county in Ireland, from Donegal to Kerry, Sligo to Wexford. She and her bus group have many fond memories of these tours which they will treasure forever.
Mary lived a full and active life for over 90 years. Twelve months ago in June, aged 89, she travelled to Liverpool to attend her grandson’s wedding, which she enjoyed very much.
In July she celebrated her 90th birthday with a party in Mullagh where she sang a few songs, danced, and then announced to the world that she was organising a weekend away to Wexford, which she did in August. When September came around she travelled to Lourdes on pilgrimage as she had done many times before. Knock and Lough Derg would have to wait.
Family was very important to Mary Mulvaney, and her eight children, 32 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren were blessed to have her in their lives for so long.
The funeral took place from the Church of St Alphonsus Liguori, Kilskyre, to the adjoining cemetery.