Kathleen was a gifted and talented dressmaker
KATHLEEN O’CONNOR RIP - 1926 to 2018
ASDEE has lost a talented dressmaker and a great friend to all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
The death took place on January 19 of Kathleen ( Kit ) O’ Connor, Carrigane, Asdee, after a short illness in Lystoll Lodge Nursing Home, surrounded by her loving family and caring staff.
Kathleen was born in Meen, Listowel in 1926, the eldest child of six to Tom and Ellen O’Sullivan (nee Flaherty). She went to Clounmacon primary school and after to Presentation Convent Listowel. Following this she undertook a four-year apprenticeship with a dressmaker in Listowel.
She met her husband Patsy Dan O’ Connor in the early forties and married him in 1946, following which they moved to Carrigane and lived with Patsy’s parents.
Times were hard back in those days and the only way into their house was along the strand.
They settled there on the small farm, milking cows and rearing a few pigs, while Kathleen did some dressmaking. Times were hard, they were happy and had a family of seven boys and one girl over a period of twenty three years. Kathleen was a talented dressmaker, making such garments as wedding dresses, bridesmaid’s dresses, first communion dresses, dancing uniforms even a suit for one of her son’s first communion along with everyday clothes for people from all over Kerry and west Limerick. She was very much involved in parish fundraising in the sixties helping out with parish socials and sales of works run in local hall, the funds from which were used do up the church and build a new school.
Their lives were changed for ever in 1975 when their eldest son Donal was killed in a road accident. Kathleen never got over his loss and always said she never feared dying because she would be reunited with Donal.
Once the family was reared she and her sister Nell travelled to London on a number of occasions during the eighties to spend a week or so with her son Jim and his wife Noreen. Later, following the death of Patsy in 2002 she joined the active retirement in Asdee and Listowel. Again Nell and herself travelled all over Ireland three or four times a year.
Eight years after suffering the loss of her husband Patsy she buried her second son PJ in 2010. She still lived in Carrigane on her own until January 2017 when she moved into Lystoll Lodge Nursing home where she enjoyed her last year, remaining in good health until two weeks before she died.
Kathleen’s funeral took place from Lyon’s Funeral home, Derry, Listowel on Sunday 21st January to Asdee Parish Church, Funeral Mass was held on Mon 22nd at 11am and she was buried afterwards in Killehenny Cemetery, Ballybunion.
Kathleen is survived by her sons Tom, John, Jim, Tim, Micheal, her loving daughter Eileen, brother Tim, sister in laws, brother in law, grand children, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, kind neighbours and friends.
A remembrance Mass for Kathleen and her two sons P J and Donal will take place on Sunday morning April 22nd at 9.30am in St. Marys Church, Asdee