Obituaries 31st August 2013

Frank O’Reilly, Kildare and Fairyhouse

Mr Frank O’Reilly, who has died aged 90, was a former chairman of Fairyhouse Racecourse, who was president of the Fairyhouse board at the time of his death.
Mr O’Reilly was a direct descendant of the original John Power of the Gold Label whiskey, and was involved in the distillery industry, as well as many other businesses, during his long and varied career.
Born in Dublin in November 1922, Francis Joseph Charles O’Reilly was the only son of a medical doctor. He was educated at St Gerard’s School in Bray, Co Wicklow, Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire and later read engineering at Trinity College Dublin. After World War II, in which he participated as a cadet in the Royal Engineers, he took over the family whiskey distillery. The business developed and in time O’Reilly became chairman of Irish Distillers. In 1982 Frank O’Reilly was appointed as chairman of the Ulster Bank and director of its British parent, the NatWest. He is credited with both reviving Ireland’s whiskey industry and modernising the country’s banking.
He was at various stages a director of the Dublin match manufacturers Maguire and Patterson and also of tobacco company Player-Wills, and president of the Marketing Institute of Ireland.
In 1941, Frank O’Reilly joined the Royal Dublin Society (RDS), the historic show grounds in the centre of Dublin city where the prestigious Dublin Horse Show is staged annually. In the 1980s, first as chairman of the Executive Committee (1981-87), and then as President (1986-89), he steered the RDS through a difficult patch which threatened its survival. O’Reilly was instrumental in bringing the 10th FEI World Jumping Championships to Dublin in 1982, the first to include a compulsory horse inspection before the start of the event. It was also thanks to him that anti-doping controls were established at the Dublin Horse Show.
In 1978 Frank O’Reilly became FEI Honorary Delegate after having attended 15 FEI General Assemblies.
In 1985 he was elected chancellor of Dublin University, a position he held for 13 years, and his chairmanship of the Restoration Committee of the Irish College in Paris, from 1986 until its reopening as the Centre Culturel Irlandais in 2002.
In recognition of this latter achievement, Pope John Paul II bestowed on him the honour of Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great.
Mr O’Reilly was conferred with honorary degrees of doctor of laws (LLD) by both Dublin University and the National University of Ireland, in 1978 and 1986 respectively, and he was an honorary fellow of TCD.
Mr O’Reilly’s family was one of the original founding families behind Fairyhouse Racecourse, and he was a member of the board from the 1970s, becoming chairman in the 1990s for a decade and overseeing many of the developments of the modern facilities that are there today.
He married Teresa Williams, of the Tullamore distilling family in 1950. Mr O’Reilly died peacefully at home in Rathmore, Co Kildare, and is survived by his wife; family, Mary, Charles, Jane, Olivia, Margaret, Rose, Louise, Peter, Paul and Julie; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and sister, Maymes.
The funeral took place at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Eadestown, with afterwards in Rathmore.

 

Edward Molloy, Kells

Widespread regret was occasioned following the death of Edward (Nedo) Molloy, Blackthorn Close, Kells, at his residence on 12th August last, aged 74. A native of Kells, he was son of the late William and Elizabeth Molloy. Deceased worked as a stonemason for Bennetts in Kells on his return from England in the 1970s, where he had worked in the building trade. He loved to play golf with his two good friends, “the two Joe Bradys”. They went around Ireland to different courses and were delighted and proud to meet Tiger Woods at the K Club in Straffan on one occasion.
Mr Molloy is survived by family, Tracy Wyse, Crossakiel, Kells; sons, Edward and Shane, both Norwich, England, Liam, Kells, Micheal, Kilskyre, Christine Molloy, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, Jamie Molloy, Portugal, Maria Rapson, Stratford-on-Avon, England, and David, Kells; sisters, June Arkins, Kells, Mary Allsop, Derby, England, Elsie Molloy, Theresa Heary, Catriona Smith, all Kells; brothers, ‘Johnboy’ and Jim ‘Stim’, both Kells; grandchildren; nieces and nephews; brothers-in-laws and sister-in-laws; daughters-in law and sons-in-law; and other relatives.
The funeral took place from St Colmcille’s Church to Kells Cemetery.

 

Paddy Leneghan, Rostrevor

Her many friends and former neighbours around Dunshaughlin were sad to learn of the passing of Mary McAleese’s father, Paddy Leneghan, whose funeral took place in Rostrevor, Co Down, on Tuesday of last week.
Mr Leneghan, a former publican, died peacefully in Carlingford Lodge, Warrenpoint, on 16th August. He was in his late eighties. The father of the former President of Ireland survived loyalist attacks on his business during the Troubles.
Repeated attacks on his family and the experience of having a young west Belfast mother die in his arms following a UVF bomb had an enduring effect on him and caused him to leave Belfast with his family. It was these experiences that were to have an enduring effect on his daughter and the first northern president’s father had a fundamental role in her path to peace-building.
The family home was the subject of repeated attacks by loyalists, including a particularly brutal attack that left Mrs McAleese’s deaf brother, John, for dead in 1969.
Mr Leneghan’s Long Bar on Leeson Street off the Falls Road was bombed by the UVF in 1972. A car containing the bomb packed inside a beer keg was left outside the pub, but the bombers failed to put the handbrake on and it rolled down the street, exploding four doors away at a co-op shop. The explosion killed a 23 year-old mother who took the full blast of it to protect her baby daughter. The young woman died in Mr Leneghan’s arms, the keys of the car hitting her in the back of her neck.
After numerous attacks on the home and business, the family moved to Rostervor, where Paddy Leneghan bought a pub in the village on the shores of Carlingford Lough. He went on to own a number of pubs in the Rostrevor and Newry areas.
Mr Leneghan is survived by his wife, Claire; family, Mary, Nora, John, Damian, Kate, Patrick, Claire, Phelim, and Clem; brothers; sister; sons-in-law; daughters-in-law; grandchildren; nephews; nieces; and extended family. The funeral took place from St Mary’s Star of the Sea Church, Rostrevor, to Kilbroney Cemetery.

 

Betty McGovern, Athboy

There was widespread sadness following the death of Elizabeth (Betty) McGovern, Mooneystown, Athboy, on 1st August at Navan Hospital, aged 79.
A native of Athboy she was a member of the local guild of the Irish Countrywoman’s Association for many years as well as being a member of the Athboy and Rathmore church choirs. She was also involved in the Athboy Hurling Club and the Tidy Towns for a time.
Daughterof the late Bob and Chrisie Mullen, she is survived by her husband, Joe McGovern; sons, Joseph, Martin, Kevin and Michael; grandchildren, Conor and Darragh; daughter-in-law, Tina, all Athboy; sisters, Ann, Mag, and Mary; brothers, Tom and Matt as well as sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.
The funeral Mass took place from St Laurence’s Church, Rathmore to the adjoining cemetery, celebrated by Fr Patrick O’Connor, PP, Athboy. There will be a month’s memory Mass at 9am on Sunday 1st September in Rathmore Church.