Teacher who became central figure in local history society
Navan in mourning for Ethna Cantwell
The town of Navan and the wider local history community is mourning the sudden death of Ethna Cantwell, long term secretary of the Navan and District Historical Society, on Sunday morning.
While sudden, her passing was peaceful, but leaves a huge void in the town, and an outpouring of fond memories from her former students at St Patrick’s Classical School, and from those who worked with her on various history publications and projects.
Paying tribute, the chairperson of the Navan historical society, Paschal Marry, described her as the "fulcrum" of the organisation, around whom it revolved for the past 15 years, from her work in administration to editing the society’s journal ‘Navan - Its People and Its Past’.
"Her chief legacy will be her work on Navan’s Great War Dead," he continued. "This resulted in the publication ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ and the monument remembering all Navan’s World War I dead at the Town Hall."
In the foreword of that book in 2018, Ethna wrote that ‘the memorial, which this publication accompanies, does not glorify or justify war ….. what it does aim to do is name the names, and where it can, shed some light on the human stories behind the names. Most of the stories have slipped just beyond our reach with the passage of time. But somehow, yet, a small window can be opened on the town and the people of 100 years ago."
Paschal Marry said that that work was the result of primary research and opened stories that 10 to 15 years earlier wouldn’t have been touched because they weren’t talked about.
"But families were so grateful to have their dead remembered, men who had enlisted because of their circumstances at the time."
Ethna had previously been contributing articles on Navan in the First World War to the Navan journal, and to Ríocht na Midhe, the Meath Archaeological and Historical Society’s journal, and spoke at various seminars and commemoration events.
She oversaw six editions of ‘Navan Its People and Its Past’ and was working on a seventh, also contributing articles to each one.
A Dublin native, Ethna Croskery married fellow teacher John Cantwell, of a well-known and established Brews Hill family best known for its association with greyhound racing and Navan Greyhound Track, and with members prominent in teaching and journalism. The couple lived at Hand’s Lane, Windtown, named after Johnny’s granduncle, whose family lived there.
She taught geography and history at St Patrick’s Classical School in Navan for many years and was a founder member of the Navan historical society in 2007.
Johnny Cantwell died at the untimely age of 54 in 2004, and Ethna is survived by their family, Barry, Ruth and Johnny; granddaughters, Grace, Nóra and Rose; her partner, Mack; daughter-in-law, Mairéad; sisters, Sinéad and Fionnuala; brothers, Kevin and Colm; extended family, neighbours and friends.
She is reposing at her residence on Thursday from 2pm to 7pm, with removal on Friday to St Mary’s Church, Navan, for funeral Mass at 10am. Burial afterwards in St Mary’s Cemetery, Boyne Road, Navan.
Navan and District Historical Society has cancelled the planned launch this week of the republished combined Volume I and II of its journal as a mark of respect, and has also cancelled any outstanding public events on its calendar for the rest of the year.
The Meath Chronicle adds its voice to those expressing sorrow at the loss of Ethna, who was a regular correspondent as she kept the newspaper informed of activities taking place in local history.
Ironically and somewhat fitting, given her work with on the Navan dead of World War I, Ethna is being laid to rest on Armistice Day.