Recent deaths 09-05-09

The death has occurred in Scotland of Mrs Máire (Mary) Bruck, a member of the Conway family of Kildalkey. She was aged 83 and was a well-known astronomer and historian of astronomy. Deceased was daughter of the late Ballivor school principal, Thomas Conway, and his wife, Maighread Ui Chonmhidhe, who was a writer, historian and lecturer, and Coolronan NS principal. Mrs Bruck made major contributions to astronomy, as a researcher into the life history of stars, as an inspiring and loveable teacher and, in later life, as an outstanding historian of her subject, with particular emphasis on the under-recognised role of gifted women. Máire Conway graduated in physics from University College Dublin, and completed a PhD on solar spectroscopy at Edinburgh. She obtained her first post as an astronomer at Dunsink Observatory, Dublin. At Dunsink, she continued her work on solar spectroscopy, creating the ultraviolet extension to the fundamental Utrecht Solar Atlas. The director of the observatory, was Hermann Alexander Bruck, a widower whom she married in 1951. In 1957, Professor Bruck became astronomer royal for Scotland, in charge of the Royal Observatory Edinburgh and of the teaching of astronomy at the university. In 1962, she returned to science with her appointment as a part-time lecturer in astronomy, the post becoming full-time as family grew up. Her expertise was in devising exercises to replicate the processes used by professional astronomers, particularly those using the UK Schmidt survey photographs, which, in the 1970s, were revealing new and exciting aspects of the universe. This work gave rise to two texts. Her research at Edinburgh used the new facilities to determine the brightnesses and colours of huge numbers of stars. The research was into the nature of stars in clusters, and she focused her efforts on those in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a nearby galaxy caught in our own gravitational field. In 1976, Mrs Bruck was invited to give a review of her work at a triennial meeting of the International Astronomical Union. Her full retirement in 1987 following a three-year university fellowship led to her next career: astronomical history, which she started in collaboration with her husband. The major work from this time is 'The Peripatetic Astronomer: the Life of Charles Piazzi Smyth". She quickly achieved a reputation in her own right for her work, concentrating on the lives of women in astronomy. Her 2002 book 'Agnes Clerke and the Rise of Astrophysics" was warmly received by her peers. Her final book, 'Stars and Satellites", is to be published shortly. Mrs Bruck contributed to several journals on the history of science, and to the Dictionary of National Biography, and was on the editorial board of the Journal of the Society for the History of Astronomy. This part of her career was celebrated on her 80th birthday by a small symposium gathering people from around the globe. Edinburgh University recognised her excellence by awarding her a fellowship at this time. Her publication was not all in learned journals. She was a charming public speaker, had broadcast children"s programmes on RTE in Ireland and wrote an influential Ladybird book, 'The Night Sky". In 2001, the Edinburgh Astronomical Society awarded her the Lorimer Medal for her public outreach. One of her final public acts was to deliver a successful public lecture in May 2008 at the Royal Astronomical Society in London on the subject of women in astronomy in the past two centuries. At the time of her death, she was working with her sister, Méadhbh, on the publication of a selection of lectures given by their mother concerning archaeology and history in Meath, which is to be published this month. Mrs Bruck was predeceased by her husband, and her brother, Sean, Ashbourne. She is survived by her stepdaughter, Mary, Canada; stepson, Peter, Cork; daughters, Ann, London and Catherine, Winsconsin, USA; son, Andrew, London; siblings Patrick, Calgary, Canada; Eithne McGee, Galway, Maedhbh Pizkorska, Dublin; Loman, Sligo, Ultan, Kildalkey, and Aoife Mhic Raghnaill, Drogheda, and other relatives. Sadly, her funeral coincided with that of her sister-in-law, Mary, in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. Mary was wife of Dr Patrick Conway, who was professor of psychiatry at the University of Calgary. The couple had met while studying medicine at UCD and went to Canada in the 1950s. Mrs Conway (nee Goggin, Mount Merrion, Dublin), is survived by her husband; family Tom, Deirdre, Grainne, Aoife, Diarmuid and Patrick Junior, and sister, Marjorie Boylan, Manchester. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Mary Coyle, Beauparc Mrs Mary Coyle, Yellow Furze, Beauparc, Navan, who died last Thursday, was a proof reader at the Meath Chronicle for over thirty years. She passed away at Our Lady"s Hospital, Navan, after being ill for less than a year. Mrs Coyle (nee Neylon) was a native of Doolin, Co Clare, and met her future husband, teacher Paddy Coyle, in his native Donegal. Mr Coyle took up a teaching post in Kentstown, and the couple moved to Navan. When he became principal in Yellow Furze, they moved to Beauparc where they spent the remainder of their time. Along with her colleague, Bertie Walsh, she was a proofreader and copyholder at the Meath Chronicle for 33 years until her retirement in 2006. Her family includes the former Meath football players Padraig and Colm. Mrs Coyle is survived by her family, Stella Duffy, Beaufort, Margaret Fitzpatrick, Doolin, Nuala McMahon, Drumree, Colm, Kells, Grainne McDonnell, Maynooth and Padraig, Kingscourt. The largely attended funeral took place from the Church of the Assumption, Yellow Furze, to the adjoining cemetery on Sunday last. The Coyle family bereavement comes just weeks after their former Meath team colleague, Michael McQuillan, was bereaved by the death of his mother, Mollie, Laytown; and the death of Liam Harnan"s father, William, Kilmore, Kilcock, in recent months. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Joseph Halpenny, Drumconrath The recent sudden death in Portugal of Drumconrath native, Mr Joseph Halpenny, caused great sadness in the north Meath area. Mr Halpenny, who was a trained chef, had worked in England for many years, retired some years ago to Spain and then moved to Portugal. He was a member of a large and well-known family. His father, Thomas, died last year and two of his brothers, Oliver and Brian, were tragically killed in separate car accidents in the mid-1990s. Deceased is survived by his mother, Lily; brothers, Laurence and Terence; sisters, Mary, Joan, Patricia, Sheila and Elizabeth. The funeral took place from Drumconrath Church to the local cemetery. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Kathleen Gaynor, Navan The regretted death occurred on 7th April last of Mrs Kathleen Gaynor, St Brigid"s Villas, Navan, at Highfield Nursing Home. Mrs Gaynor, aged 71, was wife of Tony Gaynor, and was a member of the Boyhan family, Carnaross. Deceased was from a farming background and worked as a housekeeper in the parochial houses in Kingscourt and Kilskyre before her marriage and move to Navan where she lived for forty years. She is survived by her husband, Tony; daughter, Michelle McCormack; sons, Barry and Tony Junior; six grandchildren; sisters, Bridie Shalvey, Peggy Govern, Patsy Fitzgerald and Rosie Murray; brother, Paddy, and relatives. The funeral took place from St Mary"s Church to St Finian"s Cemetery. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Frances McInerney, Killyon and Dundalk There was great sadness in Killyon parish following the news of the death of Frances McInerney (nee Peppard), late of Ballasport. Aged 65, Mrs McInerney was predeceased by her son, John Anthony, and sisters, Eileen and Carmel. She is survived by her husband, Tony; daughters, Anne Marie, Siobhan and Sinead; son-in-law, and grandchild. The funeral took place from her home at Avenue Road, Dundalk, to the Holy Family Church, followed by interment in the local cemetery. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Gerard Ward, Dublin and Kells The death occurred recently, after a short illness, of Mr Gerard (Gerry) Ward, The Glebe, Kells, and formerly of Plunkett Road, Finglas, Dublin. Deceased moved to Kells following his retirement a short number of years ago, and died at Our Lady"s Hospital, Navan. His hobbies included gardening, for which he earned two titles in last year"s Kells Tidy Towns competition. He also assisted Aware in fundraising for those who suffered with mental illness. Mr Ward had a keen interest in reading, horse racing and travel, and in latter years, he had travelled to many parts of Ireland and abroad, always enjoying the company of others. He was also a very talented singer. Prior to moving to Kells, Mr Ward worked in Dublin with steel engineering firm Whesoe where he was a gifted craftsman, and his ironworks were admired by many in his home. Deceased is survived by his wife, Ann; daughters, Carol, Lorraine and Ann; sons-in-law, Alan and Keith; grandchildren; sister, Lily, brother, Mick; nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Mr Ward reposed at his home for three days prior to removal to St Colmcille"s Church for the funeral Mass, where a homily was delivered by Fr John Byrne PP on St Patrick"s Day. Burial followed in St Colmcille"s Cemetery, where Fr Liam Malone CC officiated, and a number of Mr Ward"s favourite songs were rendered. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Emily Kelly, Kells and Longford The Taoiseach, Mr Cowen, was represented by his Aide de Camp, Cmdt Michael Treacy, at the funeral of Mrs Emily Kelly in Longford at the weekend. Mrs Kelly, a native of Bective Street, Kells, was mother of Fianna Fail TD for Longford, Peter Kelly, and wife of the late Longford councillor, Joe Kelly. Aged 91, she was a member of the Gibney family, and over 70 years ago, went to Longford to work in Kenny"s drapery on Main Street. At the time, the bus stop was at the front door of the shop then being run by Joe Kelly"s father. It was while waiting for the bus outside Kelly"s that Emily Gibney met her future husband. When her father-in-law died, Emily and Joe Kelly moved with their young family to Main Street from Harbour House in Longford. Joe Kelly had been working in the shop since leaving school, and continued to run the business. His active involvement in community activities led him to be elected as an independent member of the Urban Council, of which he was to become chair. He passed away in 2000, and in her sitting room, his wife proudly displayed mementos of his life of public service, including presentations he received from the St Vincent de Paul society and Social Services committees on his retirement. One of her sons, Peter, followed his father into politics, and, joining Fianna Fail, was to become chairman of the urban council, as well as of Longford County Council. He was elected TD in succession to former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds in 2002. Mrs Kelly"s late brother, Jack Gibney, who lived in Tullamore, was a versatile Meath hurler and captained Meath minor sides that reached provincial finals in the early 1930s. He was a member of the Meath team that defeated Kilkenny in the Leinster minor hurling final of 1929, and later represented his adopted Offaly. Mrs Kelly is survived by her family, Peter, Pat, Vincent, John, Mary, Frank, and Claire, in-laws, grandchildren, great-grandchild, relatives and friends. The funeral took place from St Mel"s Cathedral to Ballymacormack Cemetery on Saturday. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ John Rooney, Killyon The death occurred recently of Mr John Rooney, Inan, Hill of Down, at Ballinderry Nursing Home, Mullingar. Aged 61, he was a keen fisherman. Deceased is survived by his brother, Patrick, Waterford; sister, Rosaleen, Inan; cousins and a large circle of friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas and Mary Kate. The funeral Mass took place from the nursing home chapel to Killyon cemetery, with Fr Patrick Kearney officiating. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ PJ Lynch, Navan Mr PJ Lynch, St Mary"s Park, Navan, who has died, was a resident of Navan for over 50 years. A native of Knockbride, Co Cavan, he is survived by his wife, May; son, Ollie; daughter-in-law, Nichola; grandson, Aidan, Virginia, Co Cavan; brothers, Tommy, Benny, Steven; sister, Brigid; family, relatives and friends. The funeral took on 19th March place from St Oliver"s Church to Nobber Cemetery. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Matthew O"Donnell, Trim Much sadness was occasioned following the recent death of Mr Matthew O"Donnell, Tower View, Trim, and late of Haggard Street, Trim, who passed away at Our Lady"s Hospital, Navan, on 15th April. Mr O"Donnell (70) was a native of Trim and worked with the Office of Public Works (OPW). He was predeceased by his wife, Angela, in 1985. Deceased is survived by his brothers, Michael, Kiltoome, Trim; Eddie, Avondale, Trim, and Gerry, Loman Street, Trim; sister, Mrs Maureen Brady, Dunderry; aunts, nieces, nephews and sisters-in-law. The funeral took place from St Patrick"s Church, Trim, to St Loman"s Cemetery, Trim.