Brenda was a much-loved wife, mother and grandmother
WELL-KNOWN Enniscorthy woman Brenda O’Neill (nee Kirwan) who died recently, is greatly missed by her family and many friends.
Brenda (67) of 8 Irish Street died suddenly at home, just two years after retiring as a valued staff member in Enniscorthy Credit Union where she worked for many years.
A daughter of the late Jim and Lily Kirwan, Bellefield, she is survived by her beloved husband Barry; her sons Kevin, John and Brian; her daughter Jean; sisters, Joan, Mary, Aileen; her brother Martin; her grandchildren Alannah, Madison, Ruby, James and Alex; her son-in-law Ger; daughter-in-law Mary and her extended family and friends. She was predeceased by her sister Betty who sadly died in childhood.
Brenda grew up in Bellefield and was educated at the Presentation secondary school before going to work in Traynors hardware store in Wexford town which was then located in The Bullring.
Her mother Lily (nee Hayes) was from a large family in Wexford and Brenda had many relatives in the town.
She is best-known as a long-serving employee of Enniscorthy Credit Union, having worked there from the early 1970s, at the Market Square and Abbey Square addresses. She served in different roles over a 45-year career up to her retirement at the age of 65 and was a very popular employee among colleagues and customers, her courtesy and efficiency epitomising the ethos of the organisation.
She met and married her husband Barry, a well-known electrical contractor and they lived in his family home in Irish Street where they reared their four children. The couple were happily married for over 40 years.
Brenda was a devoted and much-loved wife, mother, grandmother and sister whose unexpected passing is deeply mourned by all her family.
In addition to the Credit Union, Brenda worked at the tote in Enniscorthy Greyhound Track for 25 years, a role which brought her into contact with racing enthusiasts from all over the county and further afield.
Her interests included line-dancing which she enjoyed at weekly get-togethers in the Danby Lodge on the Rosslare Road. She was naturally talented at arts and crafts, producing beautiful baby cardigans as gifts for family and friends and as charity donations to Crumlin Children’s Hospital, the Hope Centre and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
She made crochet throws and more recently, patchwork quilts, thanks to a quilting course she completed. At the time of her death she was working on a lovely patchwork quilt for her own bed. She was also involved in fundraising for Daffodil Day and the Hope and Dream marathon.
Brenda was not a woman to remain idle for long. In spare moments, she did jigsaw puzzles, often intricate and challenging ones of up to 3,000 pieces. They were a passion of hers from childhood. She always had a jigsaw on the go on the kitchen table and would throw a table cloth over an unfinished puzzle when she wasn’t working on it to make sure it wasn’t disturbed.
She loved travelling and visited America and many countries in Europe over the years. She was a music fan and expecially liked Cliff Richard, Nathan Careter and Imelda May. She enjoyed walking along the Prom and out to St. Mary’s Cemetery, often in the company of her much-loved dog ‘Rusty’
Brenda will be remembered by everyone who knew her as an active, friendly and helpful woman who was always kind to others. Sadly, she was only beginning to enjoy her retirement when she passed away unexpectedly.
Her sudden death came as a great shock to her family and friends who miss her dearly and will never forget her.
Her funeral Mass was held in St. Aidan’s Cathedral, concelebrated by Fr. Billy Swan CC and Fr. Jamie Kelly, PP, Goresbridge, County Kilkenny. A centrepiece of the service was an unfinished jigsaw, brought to the altar by her grandchild Ruby. Two other grandchildren Madison and Alannah brought up a knitted cardigan and a patchwork quilt.
Her former colleagues from Enniscorthy Credit Union formed a guard of honour. Burial took place in the new cemetery, Enniscorthy.