Obituaries 28-05-2011

Meath centenarian and former Royal Meath Association personality of the year, Mr Gerry Smyth, Trim, has died at the age of 104. Mr Smyth, a past principal of Dunshaughlin National School, received the Royal Meath award at the age of 97 in 2004 after his success in the 5km walk at the World Senior Games in Utah, in which he won a gold medal. Stackallen native Mr Smyth, of Friarspark, Trim, and formerly Dunsany, celebrated his 104th birthday in January, and passed away on Friday morning last at St Elizabeth's Nursing Home, Athboy. Deceased retired as principal of Dunshaughlin National School in 1973, a position he held for over 40 years. He followed in a long family tradition of teaching. His grandmother, Eliza Elmes, taught in Stackallen National School from the mid-1840s, and lived in the teacher's residence there. She was a member of the Clayton family of the Navan mills. Her daughter Elizabeth took over from her in Stackallen school, and Mr Smyth's father, Joe, a native of Kilskyre, was headmaster in Stackallen, while his uncle, Frank Elmes, taught in Beauparc. Gerry Smyth grew up in Stackallen where he was born in the schoolteacher's residence. His mother died some months after he was born, and his grandmother brought up her daughter's family, six in all, and his cousins next door. Of his own siblings, two others decided to enter the teaching profession, but his sister Gertie died in the great flu epidemic in 1918. Mr Smyth and his late brother, Vincent, trained at the De La Salle College in Waterford. His first assignment was a small school, Killeter, near Mullagh, for two years before he was appointed principal in Dunshaughlin on 12th February, 1932. Dunshaughlin NS was the building that now houses St Patrick's Hall, and had been built around 1897. There were two teachers in the boys' school at the front, Mr Smyth and Lena Murphy, and at the girls' school at the back were teachers Mary Murphy, Lena's sister, and Elizabeth Cogan. In an interview with the Meath Chronicle to mark his 100th birthday, Mr Smyth recalled the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932. "All the national schools were closed for a week," he said. "On the day of the Mass in the Phoenix Park, all the schoolchildren were brought in whatever mode of transport was available - it didn't matter if it was taxed or not! The Dunshaughlin children were all loaded onto Peter O'Brien's lorry and brought to the Park, where John McCormack sang at the Mass." It was around this time that he first came in contact with his future wife, Lucy Peppard from Croboy in Killyon, who was teaching in Culmullen National School. They married in 1934, and Lucy Smyth became principal of Dunsany National School, a position she held until retiring in 1968. The family lived at Dunsany Crossroads. During World War II, known as 'The Emergency' in Ireland, Mr Smyth was a district staff officer in the Local Security Force (LSF). His role was to recruit ordinary members and set up a district group. They helped gardai with transport, traffic control, first aid and food supplies. He recalled: "We also had to watch for parachutists and were trained in recognising different planes flying over to see what country they were from. You would know by the sound of the plane." He was on patrol with Dunsany neighbour Peter Malin the night of the Dublin North Strand bombings in 1941, and remembered: "We could see the search lights over Dublin and hear the anti-aircraft flak. It was before we got uniforms, so I was wearing the red armband of the district staff officer. I went straight up to Dublin to see if I could help. A bomb had hit the middle of the road at Newcommon Bridge and created a crater right in the middle of the street." "What was astonishing about it was that a piano was sitting in the middle of this crater - it had been sucked out the window of a house in the blast." This piano was visible in the footage of the bombings shown on the recent RTE documentary on Sean Og O Ceallachain. During his time as principal, Dunshaughlin got a new school. From 1941, the boys' and girls' schools had amalgamated, but by the 1950s, it was in need of refurbishment. It was decided a new school was necessary and it was opened on 2nd December 1954. He was back in Dunshaughlin for the fiftieth anniversary celebrations in 2004 and met many of his past pupils. After his retirement he spent some time working with the Education Research Centre on literacy research for a number of years. He had also been very active in the Irish National Teachers' Organisation locally, as well as Muintir na Tire, the community development organisation. Deceased revived his love of travel in retirement, a bug that had bitten at an early stage. His brother, Vincent, had won a holiday to Nice in France in 1931, and took Gerry. They enjoyed it immensely, but marriage, career and family put a stop to foreign travel. A trip to Lourdes with his wife Lucy in retirement revived the interest in travel, and Spain was one of his favourite countries to visit. In recent years, he returned to Nice, as well as Lourdes. He also received national coverage for two other trips abroad in recent years - to the World Senior Games in Belgium and America, where he won gold medals in the walking events as a member of the  Summerhill Active Retirement Group, the Third Age Foundation. He took part in the European Games in Brussels in April 2002 and the World Games in Utah in October 2003, winning gold in the 5km walk. In 2004, tributes were paid to his healthy living and determination, and he was described as an inspiration to young and old everywhere at the Meath Personality of the Year awards ceremony. After retirement, the Smyths  moved to Trim, where Lucy passed away in 1982. He continued to live in Trim until moving to Athboy. He celebrated his 100th birthday in the Station House, Kilmessan, in 2007, and his following birthdays were celebrated at his son, Gerry's residence, at Meadstown, Dunderry. Deceased was a member of Trim Musical Society and the Knights of Columbanus, and was one of the first collectors and parish collection counters in St Patrick's Church, Trim. Predeceased by his wife Lucy, he is survived by family, Vincent, Betty, Gerald, Lucy, Trudy, Ray, Maureen and Bernadette, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The funeral took place from St Patrick's Church, Trim, to Killyon Cemetery, on Sunday last. ____________________________________________________________ John Keane, Navan The regretted death occurred on 4th May last of Mr John (Christy) Keane, Dean Cogan Place, Navan, at Our Lady 's Hospital, Navan. Aged 64, deceased was a native of Cloonaglasha, Tuam, Co Galway. He is survived by his wife, Eileen; daughters, Loretta, Galway city, and Aisling, Dean Cogan Place; ; sons, Francis, Fitzherbert Wood, Navan, and Noel and Bryan, Dean Cogan Place; grandchildren, Callum and Chloe Keane, Fitzherbert Wood; brothers; sisters; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; aunt; nieces; nephews; relatives and friends. The funeral took place from St Mary's Church, Navan to Kilcarne Cemetery, Johnstown. ____________________________________________________________ Margaret O'Brien, Boardsmill The community of Boardsmill was saddened by the death of Mrs Margaret O'Brien, Brannoxtown, Rathmolyon, on 6th May last, aged 76. A native of Kilmurray, Trim, Mrs O'Brien (nee Donoghue) was predeceased by her husband, Paddy O'Brien, in August 1995. Deceased was a quiet, popular and well-liked member of the community in Boardsmill. She spent 12 years working in the Royal St George's Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire prior to her marriage in 1963. She spent the remainder of her life dedicated to raising her five children, and especially looking after the needs of her son, Brendan, and in her latter years, caring for her late brother, Patrick Donoghue, in her home. She was also a lady of great religious belief and was an auxiliary member of the Legion of Mary in Boardsmill. Mrs O'Brien was well known for her kind and generous hospitality whenever visitors called and kept in touch by visiting neighbours and friends on a regular basis. She is survived by her daughters, Deirdre Lally, Kilmessan, Linda Callan, USA and June Flattery, Summerhill; sons, Patrick O'Brien, Brannoxtown, and Brendan, St John of God's, Drumcar, Co Louth; sister, Kathleen Gavigan, Co Westmeath; daughter-in-law; sons-in-law; grandchildren; nephews; nieces; relatives and friends. The funeral took place from St Brigid's Church, Boardsmill, to St Loman's Cemetery, Trim. A months memory Mass takes place in Boardsmill on Sunday at 10am. ___________________________________________________________ John Luddy, Ardbraccan There was widespread shock and sadness following the death on 17th April last of Mr John Luddy, Ardbraccan, Navan, at the age of 43. Son of Thomas and Kathleen Luddy, deceased was a native of Ardbraccan. He attended Bohermeen National School and Beaufort College. Mr Luddy worked with a number of accountancy practices before opening his own business. He ran a successful bathroom and tile business at Ardbraccan. Deceased enjoyed fishing, game shooting and travelling. He is survived by his wife, Mary; sons, Adrian and Stephen; daughter, Aisling; parents, Tom and Kathleen; sisters, Caroline, Jacqueline and Lorraine; brothers-in-law; nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. The funeral took place from St Ultan's Church, Bohermeen, to the adjoining cemetery. ___________________________________________________________ May Reynolds, Mornington The regretted death occurred of Mrs May Reynolds, St Theresa's, Mornington, on 5th May last. Aged 87, deceased was a member of the Ryan family, Readstown, Summerhill, and was predeceased by her husband, Paddy, in November 1999. She was very involved in parish activities and was a member of the local Irish Countrywomen's Association guild. Mrs Reynolds is survived by her sons, David, Christopher, Martin, Kieran, and Fintan; daughters, Maryrose, Patricia and Yvonne; sons-in-law; daughters-in-law; sisters; brother; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; sister-in-law; nephews; nieces; relatives and friends. The funeral took place from the Star of the Sea Church, Mornington, to Mornington Old Cemetery.