Briege was an elegant and stylish lady
THE death occurred peacefully on June 16th of Briege Kelly, Jenkinstown Cross, Dundalk while surrounded by her family at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
An elegant and stylish lady, she shared a love of showing horses with her husband, Paddy and son, Patrick. The couple also loved olde tyme waltzing, and enjoyed success at both pursuits.
Born in Crossmaglen, Briege spent 18 years in England but regarded herself as a Dundalk lady having lived most of her life in the town or within its hinterland.
Her parents James and Mary Byrne resided at McDermott’s Terrace on the Carrick Road. She was the middle child in the family, comprised of six daughters and one son and was 15 when they moved to town. The family ran a gift shop in Church Street.
Briege received her education in the then Louis Convent in Kilkeel, and went to work in Dublin Street Post following the family’s move to Dundalk. Her sister Kathleen was also employed in the Post Office.
It was one of a number of things the two sisters shared in common. They exchanged their nuptial vows together in 1957 at a double wedding ceremony in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. They also lived on the same road when they moved to Crewe shortly after their wedding.
Briege met with Paddy Kelly from Jenkintown soon after her family settled in town. The couple set up home at Dowdallshill after their marriage.
Like many of their generation they had to emigrate. Paddy moved first to England and commuted back and forth for a time. Briege and their first born child Geraldine spent most of that period with her parents in McDermott’s Terrace before they joined up with Paddy.
There was a feeling of home with sister Kathleen and her husband living a few houses down the same road.
However, the couple retained an unbreakable attachment to their home soil and maintained their links with regular visits home. Paddy worked with British rail.
The family gained their wish when returning home and Paddy started-up a studfarm in Jenkinstown where he had been brought up. He inherited a love of horses from his grandfather, and became involved in showing off horses in England. It was a passion shared by Briege and their son, Patrick.
They won two medals at the Royal Dublin Society’s horse show. Briege was very proud to show these medals to callers to the family home.
The couple also were accomplished ballroom dancers who won a few trophies in their day and gave rise to good natured ribbing between the pair as to who was the better dancer.
Briege while quiet possessed a great sense of humour and remained very young at heart with a very motherly concern for her children and took a great interest in her grandchildren.
She was always there to help others, and when asked for was forthright and very honest with her opinions. All were struck by her elegance and sense of style with her love of clothes
.She was fastidious about her appearance and kept up to date in music and fashion and held a big interest in the world of the celebrities with Hello and OK magazines among her favourite reading, and generally stayed abreast of world affairs..
Briege was predeceased by her sisters, Josie and Pattie along with her parents, James and Mary. She will be sadly missed by husband, Paddy, son, Patrick, daughters, Geraldine, Valerie and Briege, sons-in-law Gerard and Tom, grandchildren, Mark and Kelly, sisters Philomena, Rose and Kathleen, brother Jim, brother-in-law, Frank, sister-in-law, Claire, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Interment took place in Calvary cemetery. Month’s Mind Mass is on Saturday, July 30th