Obituaries 08-10-11

It was fitting that Niall Collier's passing occurred on the day of the All-Ireland football final, as he was a GAA man who had himself played on the hallowed soil at Jones Road and held an All-Ireland medal, albeit in hurling. Mr Collier died on Sunday 18th September after a long illness which he never let interfere with his going about his daily activities. Deceased was a member of the 1948 Meath Junior Hurling team which won the All-Ireland title that year, and was also the holder of Meath senior hurling and football championship medals, with Kilmessan and Skryne respectively. Born on the family farm at Arlonstown, Dunsany, on 25th September 1924, deceased was a son of Jack and Tilly (Loughran) Collier. As a teenager, he went to work as an apprentice butcher with the Plunketts of Milltown, Kiltale, who had a business in Waterford. Here, he played football with the De La Salles, and was on their team that won the 1943 Waterford Minor Football final. In 1955, Mr Collier married Joan Lynch, whose family ran Lynch's Shop at Belper, Tara. Two years earlier, the couple had bought the lease and goodwill of 'The Stores' and post office at Dunsany Cross, and on his return from Waterford, he joined Joan in The Stores. He also took on a position as a rate collector with Meath County Council, a post he held until retirement in 1986. Afterwards, he took up part time employment with the Tote, which suited him as he had an interest in horse racing. In 1970, the family moved from The Stores to a new home at Dunsany, where Joan continued to run the post office. Mr Collier was very involved in fundraising for St Mary's in Drumcar, and in 1974, was nominated for the Meath Personality of the Year Award, in the year it was won by Bective short story writer, Mary Lavin. He received the nomination under the social and charitable category. He also helped out as a brancardier in Lourdes, until undergoing open heart surgery in 1980, in one of the first of such operations carried out by Dr Maurice Nelligan. He served as a Minister of the Eucharist at the local church in Dunsany for a period, and was a lifelong member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association. Hurling, football, horseracing, golf and bridge were amongst Niall Collier's other interests. His hurling medal collection with Kilmessan includes county senior hurling titles with Kilmessan in 1946, '47 and '48 and O'Growney Cup medals from 1948 and 1950, and both senior hurling and football medals from 1954, when Skryne won the football title and an Oberstown-Kilmessan-Kiltale amalgamation took the hurling championship, playing as St Patrick's. Deceased was a member of the Meath side that won the All Ireland Junior Hurling championship in 1948. There were two finals - an 'away' final, against London Irish, and a 'home' game against Limerick. He also won Division II National Hurling League medals with the county. Deceased was awarded Kilmessan Hurling Club's Hall of Fame award. Mr Collier played junior football with Kilmessan before moving to Skryne in 1950. He lined out at right half forward when Skryne contested three senior finals in a row in 1950, '51 and '52. Having moved back to defence in 1954, he helped Skryne win the senior football championship for a seventh time. He was part of the Skryne teams that unsuccesssfully took part in four more senior finals in 1956, '57, '58 and '59. Deceased was chairman of the Skryne club in 1958 and vice chairman from 1959 to 1962. A member of Royal Tara Golf Club, Mr Collier was on two Provincial Cups winning teams, in 1963, on a team which included his late brother, Dessie, and again in 1978. One of his proudest moments came when he won the Royal Tara Golf Club fourball with his late brother Fr Conall. He was also a keen bridge player, and set up the Royal Tara Bridge Club, as well as teaching bridge and helping set up other clubs around the county. Since the early 1980s, Mr Collier was a bridge tournament director for bridge holidays run by Martin Skelly's Navan Travel, and was regarded as very conscientious and caring in looking after the many holidaymakers travelling abroad, and is remembered with great affection by all who took part in the trips. Through his late mother, Mr Collier developed a love of horseracing, and so when he was asked to serve on the committee of Bellewstown Races, it was an experience he enjoyed immensely. He served on the committee for about 15 years. It was also a sentimental role for him, as his grandparents had married after meeting at Bellewstown Races. He enjoyed a trip to the races there this year, as well as to the Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle, a course he had played in recent years. Mr Collier was predeceased by his brothers, Dessie, Finian, Fr Cormac, Fr Conall, Dermot and Br Brendan. He is survived by his wife, Joan; family, Cormac, Dermot, Carmel and Tony; 10 grandchildren; daughters-in-law; son-in-law; brother, Fr Mel; sisters Sr Rosario (Lelia), Sr Carmel (Nuala), Sr Josephine (Sinéad); sisters-in-law; brother-in-law; nieces; nephews; relatives and a large circle of friends. The funeral took place from the Church of the Assumption, Dunsany to the adjoining cemetery. _____________________________________________________________ Noeleen Kilmartin, Kinnegad Mrs Noeleen Kilmartin, Roselawn Lodge, Athlone Road, Kinnegad, who has died, was well known for her community activities and as a public health nurse in south Meath. Deceased was born in 1938 in Cavan before moving to Lough Owel and later St Brigid's Terrace, Mullingar. She attended Presentation Primary school prior to heading to the Convent of Mercy, Moate as a boarding student. She developed her interest in education and had cherished memories of school musicals through the years. She then headed to Manchester to train as a nurse, followed by her midwifery in Holles Street Hospital, Dublin. She made many great friends along this journey as a nurse in Mullingar, Tullamore and Galway hospitals. She particularly enjoyed the blessing of helping to deliver new babies into the world. Indeed it was as a nurse she first met her husband Brendan who was a patient in Mullingar. Mrs Kilmartin qualified as a Public Health Nurse in the early 1980s and was appointed to the Enfield and Longwood areas where she happily visited homes and schools for 21 years until her retirement. She thoroughly enjoyed working in the community, meeting and supporting so many people. One of her proudest achievements was helping to attain a new Health Centre for Enfield. Deceased was a most active lady with a keen sense of civic responsibility and of service to the community. In Kinnegad and Rochfortbridge she served on school management boards. She was a founder of Kinnegad Tennis Club as well as being a member of the Altar Society and Eucharistic Minister. She firmly believed in active engagement in sports and promoted tennis as an activity for the benefit of the youth in Kinnegad, often driving youth tennis teams to tournaments throughout Meath and Westmeath. She was also a member of the Edenderry Musical Society in the early days. She had a passion for travel with Rome being her favourite city to visit. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends at home and abroad. She loved gardening and experienced the joy of the colour and scent of flowers. She was an active member of Lake Bridge Club Mullingar where she enjoyed and appreciated the company of the other members and the players she partnered over the years. Mrs Kilmartin had a vitality and a zest for life, which all who knew her can attest to. However, she was diagnosed with a serious illness earlier this year and faced this with great strength, faith and dignity at all times. She is survived by her husband, Brendan; family, Marie-Thérèse, Fr Michael and Barry; daughter-in-law Nuala; grandchildren Aidan, Shane and Emer; sister, Teresa; brothers, Tom, Porick and Louis; sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews, aunt Lily, dear friends Kay, Rita and Sheilagh, extended family and friends. The concelebrated funeral Mass in the Church of the Assumption, Kinnegad, was followed by burial afterwards in St Finian's Cemetery, Clonard. In his homily, her son, Fr Michael Kilmartin, referred to the 'three Ps' which applied to his mother - practicality, principled, and a people person. ____________________________________________________________ Isabella Lynch, Moynalty There was deep sadness and shock at the passing of Mrs Isabella Lynch, Donore, Moynalty, Kells, on 9th September last, at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, surrounded by her loving family, in her 70th year. She had retired five years previously from Our Lady's Hospital, where she had worked as a nurse for 25 years, specialising in orthodpaedics. Her professionalism, work ethic and kindness, especially to older patients, were paid tribute to by many of her former colleagues, who formed glowing guards of honour both at her removal from the hospital on the evening of her death and the next day at St Mary's Church, Moynalty, following her removal from her home. Mrs Lynch excelled at school and was one of only two pupils from her class in Ughtyneill NS to win a scholarship to Eureka Secondary School, Kells, after which she travelled to Scotland and England to undergo her nursing training. After qualifying she joined the nursing ranks at Lisdarn Hospital, Cavan, where she worked until her marriage in 1970. Deceased was a daughter of Christopher and Annie Cassidy, Carrickspringan, Moynalty. She bore her brief illness with indomitable calmness and stoicism. She is survived by her husband, Mikie; daughters, Michele and Mary; son, Mark; sisters, Peggy, Hitchen, England, May, Deansgrange, Dublin, Ita, Islington, England, and Philomena, Kells; brother Michael, Plymouth, England; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. Her funeral mass took place on 11th September and she was buried in Moynalty Cemetery. The month's memory Mass will take place this coming Sunday, 9th October, at 11.15am mass in Moynalty. _____________________________________________________________ Maura Grimes, Navan There was widespread sadness following the passing on 22nd June last of Mrs Maura Grimes, Station House, Railway Street, Navan, at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan. A native of Warrenpoint, County Down, deceased was daughter of Alice and Thomas Heatley, and was predeceased in 2007 by her husband, Con Grimes, who was the retired station master at Navan Railway Station. Deceased was a music teacher and taught music in Mercy Convent, Navan. She always took great pride in the achievements of her pupils. She loved playing the piano and the sound of music was a regular feature in the Station House especially at Christmas and holiday times when her grandchildren were about. They loved hearing their grandmother playing the piano. Mrs Grimes loved travelling and holidays abroad. She was a member of Probus and enjoyed their many trips to shows, musicals and venues around the country. She loved knitting and gardening, and could regularly be seen tending her garden and lawn. Deceased had a special love of her roses. She always took great pride in the achievements of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mrs Grimes is survived by her family, Alma Reynolds, Garlow Cross, Navan, Tom Grimes, Troytown Heights, Navan, Con Grimes, Carrick on Shannon, Fiona Fogarty, Ballivor; brother, Tom Heatley, Newry, Co Down; brother-in-law, Barney Grimes, London; sons-in-law, Ray Reynolds, Tom Sherlock; daughter-in-law, Doreen Grimes; grandchildren and great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. The funeral took place from St Mary's Church, Navan, to Mountown Cemetry, Walterstown. Since her passing, the family has been bereaved by the the death of her daughter, Carmel Sherlock, Clonard, Wexford, on 12th August last. ____________________________________________________________ Mary Agnes Kearns, Castletown The death of Mrs Mary Agnes Kearns, Knock, Castletown, Navan, was the source of widespread regret in Meath and in her native Co Mayo. Aged 71, she passed away at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, on 9th September last. Deceased was a native of Owenwee, Westport, Co Mayo, and is survived by her brothers, Packie, Westport, John and James, Knock, Castletown, and sister, Anne Cassidy, Shancarnan, Moynalty; brother-in-law; nephews, nieces, in-laws, friends and neighbours. The funeral took place from St Patrick's Church, Castletown, to the local cemetery. A month's memory Mass will be celebrated in St Patrick's Church, Castletown, on Friday 14th October at 7.30pm. ____________________________________________________________