Obituaries 1st november 2014
Francis Loughran, Dunsany
The passing of Francis (Frank) Loughran, of Tullykane, Dunsany, on Saturday 27th September last, was the source of considerable sadness across a wide area.
Aged 85, he died peacefully at Heatherfield Nursing Home, Dunshaughlin.
Deceased was a member of one of the Kilmessan area’s oldest families, and was a nephew of the legendary Meath footballer and hurler, Joe Loughran, whose name, along with Tony Donnelly’s, adorns the pier of the local hurling grounds.
He took up work as a haulier in the 1950s and, with his truck, delivered Guinness from Dublin to the country, mainly Cavan, as well as transporting tractors.
On one of his trips to Cavan, he met Olive Flood from Cavan town, whose family owned a hackney and undertakers business, and they eventually married. They lived in Cavan for a period, before returning to Ringlestown, Kilmessan, and later to the home farm at Tullykane.
In 1966, Frank took up flying at Headfort Airfield in Kells, flying Cessna single engine aircraft, and also at Collinstown Airfield and Trim Flying Club. His flying instructor was Captain Thompson Boyes, who afterwards was the pilot of a helicopter which was hijacked to use in the escape of prisoners from Mountjoy Prison in Dublin in 1973.
Frank won a Shell Trophy for navigation as a pilot. He also enjoyed restoring old tractors and was a founding member of the Meath Vintage Group, travelling to many rallies and events with his restored machines.
At his funeral, members of the vintage group provided a guard of honour and tribute, and there was also a special tribute from a flying colleague.
Deceased is survived by his wife, Olive; sons, Frankie, Kildalkey; Dominic, Mullingar, and Joseph, Tullykane; daughter, Mary Rose Clarke, Bective; sisters, Caroline Hosey, Bernie Lynch and Olive Carey; brother, Mal; daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grandchildren, great grandchildren, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
He was predeceased by his sister, Kathleen Dixon, Kilmurray, Trim. The funeral took place from the Church of the Nativity, Kilmessan, to Glasnevin Crematorium.
Meath Vintage Group paid the following tribute to Francie Loughran:
‘A pall of sadness descended on mid–Meath and surrounding areas at the news of the passing of Francis (Francie) Loughran. Many clubs and associations will remember Francis in their own way, but we in Meath Vintage Group will remember him as Francie, a true friend and a vintage expert.
‘Francie was a man of great integrity, wisdom and foresight and, back in the early 1990s, he could see the demise of our rich heritage which would be lost forevermore if nobody took a stand. So, Francie, together with some like-minded people, formed Meath Vintage Group.
‘He was known the length and breadth of Ireland, not only in vintage circles, he was also known from his days as a haulier when he travelled the highways and byways delivering all sorts of goods to every town and village in the land.
‘It was on one of these journeys he met the light and love of his life, Olive, nee Flood, a member a well-respected business family from Cavan and eventually settled in County Meath where they have lived ever since.
‘Francie had a great knowledge of all things vintage and always was willing to impart his lore whenever called upon for advice. He inspired many with this knowledge. He had a fine collection of vintage of which he was duly proud. One could be forgiven for thinking one had stepped into an Aladdin’s Cave when viewing this collection.
‘Both Francie and Olive were great supporters of fundraising tractor drives and threshings, where distance was never a bother to them, and were always more than generous to the causes being supported.
‘Francie was a great raconteur and had a marvellous stock of stories from his young days - many’s the company he kept enthralled with tales of border crossings and of his dealings with custom officials; no marks for guessing who fared the worst during these encounters!
‘Meath Vintage Group no doubt will greatly miss our stalwart founding member, but that loss will pale into oblivion when compared with the deep loss felt by Olive, Mary Rose, Frankie, Dominic and Joey, his grandchildren and great grandchildren, and to them we say, 'Ye will always be in our hearts and prayers'
‘To Francie we say: 'Farewell old friend, the light of Heaven to you, we’ll not see your likes again.'’
Patrick Sheehan, Duleek and Tipperary
The regretted death occurred in his native Thurles, Co Tipperary, of Patrick (Paddy) Sheehan, The Lawns, Downstown, Duleek, at the age of 77.
Deceased worked with the Dublin District Milk Board until his redeployment to the Department of Agriculture from which he retired 12 years ago.
He was a quiet, unassuming, yet friendly man of deep and simple faith. He loved living at Downstown with his wife, Kathleen, where he could often be seen gardening and smoking his pipe.
Paddy is survived by Kathleen; his sons, Kieran and Noel; daughters, Camella and Sinead; son-in-law, Chris; daughters-in-law, Kathleen and Deirdre; grandchildren, Pádraic, Niamh, Anna, Sarah and Maeibh; brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
The funeral took place from the Cathedral of the Assumption, Thurles, to St Patrick’s Cemetery, Thurles. 　
Bernard Husband, Oldcastle
The death recently occurred at his home, at the age of 51, of Mr Bernard Husband, Mount Dutton Close, Oldcastle.
He is survived and sadly missed by his partner, Violet Scully; mother, Margaret Husband, Oldcastle; son, Gerard, Sydney, Australia; daughter, Caroline, Oldcastle; granddaughter, Lillie, Oldcastle; uncle and aunt, James and Monica Husband, Trim; aunt, Mollie Bergin, Portlaoise; cousins in Oldcastle and Portlaoise, and other relatives.
The funeral took place from St Mary’s Church, Moylagh, to the adjoining cemetery.