Devoted family and community will miss the very popular Angela
Obituary
ANGELA Gallagher (nee Brodigan) of Downstown, Duleek, Co Meath passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday 13th December 2018 surrounded by her loving family. She is survived by her Daughters Marella and Linda and Sons Cianan and Stephen, her Son in law Seamus and her Daughters in law Lorna and Kathy and her grandchildren.
After reposing at her home where many friends and extended family called to pay their respects, her remains were brought to St. Cianan’s Church Duleek where the funeral mass was celebrated by Fr John Conlon PP. Her grandchildren gave the readings and presented the offertory gifts. Grainne Diskin and the members of Duleek choir sung and provided the music. Burial took place afterwards in Holy Cross Cemetery Duleek where Angela was laid to rest beside her beloved Husband Tom who died in February 1999.
Angela was born in Kingsgate Duleek to James and Alice (Alie) Brodigan (nee McEnteggart). Her Dad James passed away when she was just 5 years old.
With a young family still to rear, while Alie worked in Duleek House Johnny Gallagher of Downstown helped her look after their calves and with manual tasks around their home. His son Tom who also helped out grew up with Angela and together they went to school in Duleek. Angela left school at the age of 14 and started working in Slane mill the day after her 14th birthday. Tom was also working in Slane mill at the time and soon after that, they became inseparable, Angela and Tom got married in October 1963. They settled into their Family home in Downstown, after the death of Tom’s Mother Julia and looked after Tom’s Dad Johnny in his later years.
Angela had many interests and was very involved in the community of Duleek. She was a long-time member of Duleek Women’s forum and loved meeting up with the women on a Tuesday morning to learn crafts or go on a day trip. She was very creative and good with her hands and many of the pieces that she made could be seen in her home. She was also a member of Duleek Fair day Committee for a number of years and helped organise the event.
Angela had very strong faith and was involved in the Parish in many different ways – she was a minister of the Eucharist for many years, was on the altar Society, helped clean the church, distributed envelopes and helped making tea etc at many events and celebrations that took place in the parish over the years.
Angela was also involved in the Team Hope Christmas Shoe Box appeal for the past 17 years and over those years collected Thousands of gift filled shoeboxes for needy children in Eastern European and African countries. Indeed throughout last year she had crocheted 50 hats and collected many items for the shoe box appeal. All those hats and gifts were packed into the shoeboxes that were sent from the Trim collection centre which is ran by her daughter in law Lorna and her son Cianan. It is wonderful to think that needy children received a special gift from Angela at Christmas.
Angela loved her garden. Both she and Tom had a raspberry growing business for many years. Many of the people who called to her home reminisced about the times spent in the garden picking raspberries. She also loved growing flowers and spent many hours out in the garden tending to them. Her garden was always a mass of colour in the summer months.
She also had a love for cooking and baking, she loved trying out new recipes that she may have seen on tv or even something that she may have tasted in a restaurant when she was out for a meal. She was always willing to try new things and even went on a hot air balloon trip in 2013, which she loved every minute of despite having a fear of flying.
Angela loved the company of her family and enjoyed telling stories of what life was like as she was growing up and going to school. She will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by her loving family and many people throughout the community of Duleek and further afield.