‘If everyone was like Noreen there would never be a war in this world’

NOREEN O’Connor, née Larkin, Kilbaha, Moyvane, passed away peacefully on 12th January in Lystoll Lodge, Listowel.

Noreen was born in Carraueragh, Moyvane on 27th April, 1927 where she grew up with her sister, Mary, and brothers, Seán and Paddy. They often talked about going to school through the fields to Knockanure and coming home to do a day’s work on the family farm in the evenings. Times were tough but they were happy.

Noreen went on to work on the farm. Life was good, and it got even better in 1950 when she met Willie O’Connor, a farmer from Kilbaha, at a crossroads dance. They got married in 1951 and had seven children.

The biggest blow in her life came in 1966 when Willie died at the age of 49. Noreen was only 39 at the time but she carried on rearing her young family and running the farm, milking cows, feeding pigs, rearing calves, turkeys, ducks and chickens. In the spring she would often stay up all night when a cow was calving and do a full day’s work the following day. She was forever grateful to all the neighbours who helped her out at the time and for many years afterwards.

While she never really got over the loss of her husband Willie, she learned how to enjoy life and laugh again with the help of her sister, Mary, who was the character of the family, along with some great friends and neighbours.

Noreen loved Ballybunion, and on summer Sundays would pile her seven children into the back of her Volkswagen Beetle and head for the beach. She was happy out sitting in the shade, but had to be back home by 5 o’clock for milking.

Family meant everything to Noreen. She loved to bake and cook and had a great pair of hands, spending many an hour knitting and sewing. She could have made it in the world of interior design, as she did all the home decorating herself; papering, painting and upholstery. Every few years she would take on the daunting task of painting the two storey house, as she loved to see the place looking well.

One of her biggest concerns was that nobody would leave the farm or house without a dinner, supper or at least a cup of tea. The kettle was always on the boil on the range and her home made apple pie was hot from the oven.

She could always see the funny side of things, and was a very positive person in her own quiet way. If you were having a bad day or week she would say “things will be completely different tomorrow or next week”, and she was always right on that one.

When Noreen retired from farming she started to travel a bit, visiting Rome, Lourdes, New York and Kansas. She often visited her sister, Mary, in Kinsale and for several years they headed to Lisdoonvarna and had wonderful stories to recount of their adventures there.

While there is nothing positive about the condition she endured, Alzheimers Disease, we’ ll take a leaf out of her book and say that through her condition over the past 12 years she didn’t have to witness and suffer the loss of her youngest daughter, Angela, and more recently the loss of her grandson, Darragh. She also didn’t suffer physically throughout her illness, and for that her family are grateful.

Noreen is described by her friends as a quiet and gentle lady who always has a smile on her face. Her friend and neighbour, Dan Keane, put it best when he said “If everyone was like Noreen there would never be a war in this world.” Noreen is sadly missed by her children; Mary, Patricia, Kay, Teresa, Geraldine and John, her brother, Fr. Paddy Larkin (Kansas), sons in law, daughter in law, grandchildren, great grandchildren, family and friends.

Go ionraí solas a hanama ar feadh na sioraíochta

The Late Noreen O’Connor