Tribute paid to the late Theresa McCauley (78)
THE recent death occurred of Theresa McCauley, Old Airport Road, Strandhill. Aged 78, Theresa was a remarkable woman in many aspects and was one of the early female business people of Sligo.
Born in London 1940 to John and Delia Carolyn, Irish emigrants from Kiltimagh, she often told the story of how she was blown up the chimney when a German bomb fell close to their home in London during the WW2 bombing of London.
She met and married Sligo footballer Brendan McCauley at the beginning of the 1960’s in London, and when the tide of emigration was flowing strongly from the West of Ireland to London and other emigrant destinations, Theresa and Brendan with an infant baby, Patricia decided to swim against the tide and they moved back to Sligo to start a new life and a new family. This was a brave move, but one they never regretted.
While Brendan worked with G.W.I. in Collooney, and played football with Sligo through the 60’s and early 70’s, Theresa worked hard at rearing and educating the expanding family. As her network of friends and contacts developed, she started in the early 70’s a Secretarial Service Business, offering a range of services including, typing, shorthand, dictation and as photocopiers developed in the 1970’s her office in Wine Street, Sligo was one of the first to offer a photocopying service. This was totally revolutionary in those years.
After spending their early years in Sligo town, the expanding family moved to the Old Airport Road, Strandhill after building a new house. Here in Strandhill, Theresa got fully involved with community and parish life, sitting on the Parish Council, on the Primary School Board, and served as secretary of the newly set up Strandhill Development Association. She started a local Girl Guide and Brownie group, ran keep fit and Weight Watchers groups, was secretary for Sligo branch of National Council for the Blind, worked as a volunteer with the Sligo Alzheimer’s Group, and was a member of Strandhill ICA. She was also a regular reader at Mass and a Eucharistic Minister. The adage of “get a busy person to do a job” certainly applied to Theresa.
Her husband Brendan became very involved in Strandhill Golf Club administration after his GAA playing and administration years ceased, and Theresa was always a great support to him in the background.
In recent years Brendan and Theresa moved to the Tubbercurry/Cloonacool area to be closer to family, but their love of Strandhill continued. Theresa was truly a remarkable woman as she worked away quietly getting jobs done while others would still wonder how to do them.
Her funeral Mass took place in Strandhill, and she was laid to rest in Scarden Cemetery. Theresa is survived by husband Brendan, sons Ciaran, Brendan, Aidan and Andrew, daughters, Patricia McCarrick, Helen, Bernadette, Christina O’Hara, brothers Mike and Jack, many grandchildren, nephews, nieces and cousins, all to whom sympathy is extended. May she rest gently in peace.