Obituaries 3rd May 2014
Noel Mangan, Dunshaughlin
A dedicated family man who devoted his life to his community was remembered when Noel Mangan was laid to rest in Dunshaughlin on Friday last.
The 57 year-old, popularly known as ‘Jazz’, died unexpectedly on Tuesday morning of last week in Dublin’s Mater Hospital, having been suffering from an ongoing illness.
From a well-known local family, Noel was a member of the post office team serving the village and surrounds for many years, and was also a member of Dunshaughlin Fire Service.
Son of the late Mannix and Lily Mangan, his mother died when he was a young boy, and his father later married Bee, who became a second mother. Noel attended the local primary school, and then the community college, and played football with Dunshaughlin, as well as a stint with neighbouring Dunsany in the early 1980s. He married Martina Boland from Skryne and Keith, Paula and Lisa followed. He was later involved with underage coaching with the local St Martin’s Club.
Great passions were Liverpool FC and his motorbike, and the symbols brought up to the altar at his funeral Mass included his Liverpool scarf and his motorbike gloves. He loved attending motorbike rallies, and also followed motor rallying, attending the World Championships in the north of Ireland some years back. He also travelled to a number of Formula One Grand Prix meetings across Europe with Richie and Michael O’Brien and Danny Grouden.
He was a member of the Dunshaughlin Fire Service from 1987 to 2000. On Friday, when his funeral was leaving his home on the Navan Road to the church, the hearse was led by a group of local bikers, with Fire Service personnel providing a guard of honour up the street. Passing the fire station, where former and neighbouring personnel were waiting, the cortege stood for a minute’s silence before proceeding to the Church of Ss Patrick and Sechnall for reception by Fr Joe Clavin, PP.
Noel was heartbroken when diagnosed with a rare lung condition over a decade ago which meant he had to leave the fire service. But his sense of humour and fun remained throughout his illness, and he never let it change his outlook on life. Complete with Tommy Cooper-style fez hat, he entertained all at his brother Joe’s wedding to Niamh O’Shea just over a week prior to his passing.
Also brought up in Offertory were a Status Quo album, reflecting his love of music, a crossword book, some of his sister Ann’s scones, his favourite, and a photo of his family, as Noel loved his family and all his family connections, and loved nothing better than a gathering where he was always the life and soul of the party.
Noel and Martina’s niece, Dawn Englishby, composed a poem which was read as a communion reflection in his memory, and he was brought into the cemetery to the strains of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. The Fire Service once again provided a guard of honour to the cemetery, with his yellow fire helmet in pride of place on a wreath of red flowers.
Noel Mangan is survived by his wife, Martina; family, Keith, Paula and Lisa; stepmother, Bee; sister, Ann O’Callaghan, Navan; brothers, Malachy, Dunboyne, and Joe, Dunshaughlin; brother-in-law, Sean O’Callaghan; sisters-in-law, Teresa and Niamh; the Boland family and a large extended family of nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends. Donations were made to the Irish Heart and Lung Association.
Dunshaughlin GFC last week expressed sympathy with the family, saying: 'Noel managed underage teams back in the St Martin’s days and was a great character around the village. His son, Keith, was part of the Dunshaughlin three-in-a-row championship winning team.'
Peter Canning, Trim
There was great sadness in Trim and across the wider county, and further afield, following the death on 27th January last of Peter Canning, who 40 years ago established the well-known drapery on Emmet Street in the town. A native of Gorvagh, Co Leitrim, he died peacefully at home, aged 81.
Deceased worked in the drapery business all his life, and arrived in Trim in the 1950s, working in McConville’s Drapery on Market Street before setting up his own business on Emmet Street with his late wife, Moira, in 1973.
He enjoyed the 40th anniversary celebrations of the shop last year, and had a good working relationship there with his son, John. He loved a chat with his friends in the shop.
Peter Canning led an active life, always taking a great interest in his family, community and hobbies. He was a lifelong supporter of GAA football and hurling at all levels, and was a regular attendee at matches in Trim. He rarely missed a Meath game in Croke Park, and earned a reputation as a memory man due to a vast knowledge of players and teams dating back to the 1950s.
Peter always loved to play cards, especially the game of 25 with his friends each week. There was no shortage of wit and craic on these occasions. He kept a close eye on the horses too, and attended many race meetings in Kilbeggan and Roscommon, with his great friend, Joe Regan.
Deceased was a member of Royal Tara Golf Club, and a regular player in the weekly competitions, until latter years. It was a shared interest with his grandchildren who loved to hear his stories about a hole in one, and to tell him their scores.
In declining health for the past three years, he received great care and kindness from all his family and his carers, Ger, Marie and Breege. Peter will be remembered as a decent and good humoured man who was always kind and generous, and the large attendance at his removal and funeral saw many stories about him shared with his family.
Predeceased in 1987 by his wife, Moira, Peter is survived by his son, John; daughters, Louise, Fiona and Emer; sons-in-law, Declan, Paul and Alan; grandchildren, Naomi, Lára, Aoife, Colm, Aine, and Conor; sisters-in-law ;brothers-in-law; extended family and a wide circle of friends.
The funeral took place from St Patrick’s Church, Trim, to St Loman’s Cemetery. A month’s memory Mass was celebrated by his nephew, Fr Naos McCool, in the chapel of St Joseph’s Hospital, Trim.
Alice Clarke, Fordstown
The regretted death occurred on 29th March last of Alice Clarke, Garristown, Fordstown, Navan, at home in the loving care of her family. Aged 90, she was a member of the Tierney family, of Cornalara, Shercock, Co Cavan.
Deceased was a loving wife to Peter Clarke for 61 years and a loving mother and grandmother. She moved to Fordstown on marriage in 1953, where she set up home and became very involved in running the farm alongside Peter. Alice was very involved in the local community. She loved music was happiest listening to her family playing. She had a very warm welcome for friends and neighbours that called to see her. She will be sadly missed by her family.
Deceased is survived by her husband, Pater; sons, Pat and Ollie, Fordstown; daughters, Angela McAvinchey, Fordstown, Bernie Muckian, Dundalk, Olivia Clarke, Dundalk and Breage Tully, Piercestown; and 11 grandchildren; extended family, relatives and friends.
The funeral took place from the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Girley, to the local cemetery, celebrated by Fr Liam Malone, CC, Kells, assisted by Fr Brendan Madden, Dublin.
Matt Farrelly, Moynalty
The death of Matt Farrelly, Ballintleive, Moynalty, occurred peacefully at his home on Monday 7th April last, surrounded by his family, at the age of 77, following two an a half years battling cancer. Matt was born in Corryrourke, Mullagh, Co Cavan, where he lived until the age of 10 before moving with his family to Ballintlieve in 1947.
Deceased had a great love of Irish music and dance, and was a self-taught player of the harmonica and button accordion. He was also a member of Cairde Rince Ceili na hEireann and held the position of vice chairperson of the Ughtyneill branch of the organisation. Matt was a lifelong fan of the Lynch brothers, and it was at a ceili in Oldcastle where the Lynch brothers were playing that he met his wife of 42 years, Delvin native, Betty Darby.
Matt and Betty settled in the Farrelly home at Ballintlieve where he continued to farm whilst also working full time in Wellman International for 24 years.
Matt got most pleasure from farming the land. His love of animals and all things in nature was plain to see from the care shown to his stock, his time as an avid bee keeper, his interest in documentaries on the natural world and his love for his pet dogs. He also had an interest in history, enjoyed having a ramble around market stalls and reminiscing on times gone by, and local tales with friends and neighbours who called for a visit.
Matt was also very proud that he was a teetotaller all his life and held a gold pioneer pin.
Predeceased by his brother, James, and sisters, Eileen and Lily, Matt is survived by his wife, Betty; daughters, Bernie, Teresa and Marie; sons-in-law, Andrew Reilly, John McKenna and Matthew Stafford; grandchildren, Cara, Ben, Adam, Carleen, Oran, Alan and Cian; brother, Nick, Moynalty; sisters, Kathleen Young, England, and Anna Lawless, Dublin; extended family, friends and neighbours.
The funeral Mass took place in the Church of the Assumption, Moynalty, and burial followed in Moynalty Cemetery.
James McNally, Navan
The death occurred peacefully of James (Sonny) McNally, late of Alexanderaide, Navan, at Knightsbridge Nursing Home, Trim, on 10th April last, aged 92. Sonny worked for many years as a panel beater in Navan Engineering Works and later worked for An Post. He was a keen GAA fan and enjoyed many trips to both Croke Park and Pairc Tailteann where he worked as a voluntary steward. He acted as an umpire for the late Peter McDermott when ‘the man in the cap’ was refereeing football games. When he was not at football he was to be found tending his garden which he took great pride in.
Sonny spent the last four and a half years in Knightsbridge Nursing Home where he enjoyed the exceptional care and kindness of all the staff.
He was predeceased by his wife, Kathleen, and brother, Stephen. He is survived by his brother, Tossie; nieces, Catherine, Geraldine and Helen; sister-in-law, brother-in-law, relatives and friends. The funeral took place from the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady, Johnstown to St Mary’s Cemetery, Navan.
Fr Tom Kenny SDB, Warrenstown
Fr Tom Kenny SDB, Salesian House, Warrenstown, Drumree, who died on Saturday 12th April last, was principal of the college of agriculture there for 12 years. A native of Kilconnell, Co Galway, he was aged 83, and made his first profession as a Salesian of Don Bosco in September 1950.
The youngest of seven he had two brothers and four sisters, and when he was aged four, the family moved to a newly acquired farm of 32 acres two and a half miles outside Kilconnell village, where he attended primary school. Just four years later, his father passed away, and his mother died in 1955.
Between 1944 and ‘49, he was a Salesian aspirantate in Pallaskenry, Co Limerick, and Balinakill, Co Laois, and a novitiate in Beckford, England, before profession on 8th September 1950.
For the following two years, he studied philosophy at Shrigley in Chesire, as well as a correspondence course in arts from London University. With various teaching posts in England between then and 1956, Fr Kenny took a BA at London University and took part in practical work as a novitiate in Burwash, Surrey. From 1956 to ‘60, he pursued theological studies in Hampshire, and was ordained there at Melchet Court in July 1960 by Dr Joseph Rudderham, the Bishop of Clifton, with 17 fellow members of the order.
His pastoral theology year was 1960-’61, in Chesire, and he came to Warrenstown College in 1961, in preparation for agricultural studies at University College, Dublin.
From 1963-’67, he studied horticulture at UCD and was awarded a scholarship in horticultural research at Kinsealy Research Centre in 1967.
He was principal of Warrenstown College of Agriculture and Horticulture from 1968 to 1995, when he retired from teaching at the age of 65. He had a sabbatical year at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome from 1980-’81.
From 1996, for six years, he was assistant to the missions director at the Salesian Missions Office in Pallaskenry.
During his career, Fr Kenny was involved in youth camps both in Ireland and abroad. In the 1950s, he was involved in summer youth camps in Pallaskenry for youngsters from inner city Dublin, and in summer youth camps for deprived children in Switzerland and the Italian Riviera.
He also worked in Florida and the Netherlands in the sixties and seventies, and in 1971, spent nine weeks on a mission appeal for the Salesian Missions headquarters in New Rochelle, travelling some 13,000 miles on the Greyhound bus company across California, Texas, Noth Dakota, Detroit and Pennsylvania.
Fr Kenny led Legion of Mary groups to the Soviet Union and Florida, and worked in several parishes across America. He was proud of the fact that he had visited 23 shrines across the world on pilgrimages.
Fr Kenny died at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. He was predeceased by his brothers, John and Fr Martin; sisters, Sr Philomena, Sr Margaret Mary and Teresa; and is survived by his sister Jane, nephews, nieces, relatives, friends and Salesian confreres. His funeral took place from St Martin’s Church, Culmullen to the Salesian Cemetery, Warrenstown, Drumree.
Albert McCullagh, Navan
There was considerable regret following the death on 20th April last of Albert McCullagh, Nangle Court, Navan, at Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, aged 72.
A native of Navan, he is survived by his wife, Mary; sons, John and Gary; daughter, Sonya; son-in-law, John; daughters-in-law, Norma; grandchildren; brothers, David, Victor and Ronnie; sisters, Maud and Eve; brother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Deceased was laid to rest at St Mary’s Church of Ireland churchyard, following a Funeral Service in St Mary’s Church of Ireland.