Margaret (99) lived a long and active life
MARGARET (Mona) Whelan of Ballyregan, Killinick was in her 100th year when she passed away peacefully at Cherry Grove Nursing Home in Campile on August 21.
An only child of the late William and Kathleen Hayes of Mulrankin, Margaret was born on May 15, 1918 and attended the local national school before being educated at Wexford Technical School where she won an Irish scholarship and a prize for art. She cycled to school in Wexford town from Mulrankin every day.
She met Nick Whelan, a native of Mayglass and they were married in Mulrankin Church on July 21, 1937. The couple settled in Ballycorboys and
Ballyregan where they reared a family of eight children.
Nick served in the Irish Army at
The Curragh for a time before going on to work for 34 years in Rosslare harbour.
A great homemaker, Margaret lived for her family. She loved baking and was a talented seamstress and knitter, knitting jumpers and making clothes for her children and also producing Aran knitwear.
She was very self-sufficient and kept chickens, pigs and a cow. She loved animals and always had pet cats. She loved her garden and grew her own vegetables.
Margaret’s family have fond memories of her sitting down with them at night around the table, encouraging them to draw pictures with colouring pencils.
She walked everywhere and never owned a car but she enjoyed being a passenger in a fast car and sometimes her grandson Barry would take her for a drive in his drift car.
Margaret was predeceased by her husband in September 2001 and previously by her son Liamie who died in 1964 in a road accident at the age of 25, and also her son Donal who died from Motor Neurone Disease in 1982 at the age of 38.
After Nick died, she went to live with her daughter Laura and her partner Jim and was looked after by the couple up to the time she went into Cherry Grove Nursing Home five months ago. Margaret got great enjoyment from watching Jim in his workshop. She was active up to last December when she suffered a stroke and loved going for walks with the dogs Sam and Ted.
If anyone ever asked her to what she attributed her long life, she would reply ‘plenty of spuds, butter and a bit of raw onion’. She never drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes.
Margaret’s family are grateful to the staff of Cherry Grove Nursing Home for the care she received there during her final months. ‘The care and love she got there was unreal. We will never forget it,’ said Laura. They also thanked the staff of Wexford General Hospital.
Margaret is survived by her children Ownie, Angela, Maeve, Bernie, Linda and Laura; her grandchildren’ great-grandchildren; daughters-in-law; sons-in-law; brother-in-law; nieces and nephews, and by her extended family and friends.
Her youngest great-grandchild Amelia Whelan was born just a week before Margaret was buried in a family grave alongside her husband, her sons Liamie and Donal and her parents in Ballymore Cemetery after funeral Mass in St. David’s Church, Mulrankin.
Margaret’s Month’s Mind Mass will take place in Mulrankin church on September 19 at 7.30 p.m.