Mary was a fixture at GA A matches around W ex ford
THERE was great sadness recently following the death of Mary Dempsey from Piercestown.
Sixty-five-year-old Mary (née Doyle) of Pollsallagh, Piercestown passed away at Wexford General Hospital on Saturday, March 4, following a short illness.
Having lived her early life in Killenagh, she attended St Mary’s National School, Ballygarrett, and later the Vocational School in Gorey town. Mary then spent time working with Dublin Corporation before moving to Wexford County Council in the early 1970s.
While working in Wexford, Mary met her future husband, Jimmy. They were married in Our Lady’s Star of the Sea Church, Ballygarrett, on September 2, 1978. Mary and Jimmy made their home in Piercestown in the heart of the village. In the following years, Mary and Jimmy had two children, Sharon and Séamus.
During her time in Piercestown Mary became part of the fabric of the local community, involving herself in the local GAA club and later, the Active Retirement Association. Mary was a permanent fixture at the daily masses in Piercestown. Through her involvement with the community, Mary developed many strong friendships with old and young alike. Known for her calm and peaceful manner, Mary was always looking to help others in any way she could.
Her work with the Active Retirement Association allowed her to use her skills and talents to their fullest; organising events and activities for the local community. Indeed her last duty as part of the ARA was organising a hugely successful trip for the ARA to Spain in October of last year.
At requiem mass on last Monday, Fr O’Reilly spoke of Mary’s love of GAA. A staunch supporter of St Martin’s GAA club, he described Mary as ‘ the greatest selector the Martin’s never had’. She derived huge enjoyment from watching the men in maroon compete in hurling and football, as well as traveling all over the country to watch the Wexford hurling team in action.
A large crowd attended her funeral mass in St. Martin’s Church and the burial afterwards in Piercestown Cemetery. She will be sadly missed by her family and friends.