Liam gave his life to caring for others in Ashford community Arklow native Rita passed away after short illness
ASHFORD Community Group, and indeed the whole Ashford district, was shocked and saddened by the recent passing of one of its best known citizens, Liam Woolley, after a short illness.
Liam gave his life to caring for the elderly of the parish of Ashford and Glenealy having been a founder member of Ashford Community Group in 1970.
He held many committee positions since then, including that of Chairman for may years. He was also instrumental in the group becoming involved in providing alarms for elderly people living alone or with medical needs.
The welfare of the elderly was something Liam felt very strongly about and this was evident from his tireless work on their behalf for so many years.
Liam was born in 1945 to the late Frank and Mary Woolley and was brought up alongside his brother Gay and sister Marie in Killiskey, Ashford. Along with his siblings he attended the local Ballyduff National School.
He had a variety of jobs including that as a butcher with Finn Cullen’s in Bray before joining Wicklow County Council in 1972.
It was through his work with Wicklow County Council that he was probably best known to people all across Wicklow.
He started off as a lorry driver and later worked as an overseer. He retired from the council in 2010.
Liam loved sport and played soccer with the local Trinity Rangers and was later involved with Ashford GAA. He was also a soccer referee and played golf with The Lucky Brook Golf Society of which he was also a founder member.
He also travelled abroad to many of Ireland’s soccer games.
Liam lived his whole life in Ashford and was well known to everyone through his involvement in so many aspects of the community there.
He was involved in various fundraising projects down the years for both the Church of the Most Holy Rosary and Scoil Na Coroinne Mhuire in Ashford.
Liam will be remembered as someone with a strong sense of community spirit and as someone who was always willing to help with local projects and causes.
He was always good humoured and had a kind word for everyone.
He was highly regarded by the community in general and in particular by the senior citizens who came to know him through Ashford Community Group.
Liam was also, of course, a dedicated family man and was devoted to his wife Kathleen to whom he was married for 49 years, his five children Angela, Martin, Stephen, John and Sinead and his adored grandchildren Eilis, Caoimhe, Saoirse and Tom. Liam is survived by his brother Gay and his sister Marie, sons in law, daughters in law, brothers in law, sisters in law, extended family and a wide circle of friends and neighbours.
As a mark of appreciation for his tireless work over so many years, Ashford Community Group has installed a granite seat dedicated to Liam in Killoughter Cemetery where he was laid to rest beside his parents and grandparents. THE death of Margaret (Rita) McCarthy, née Keane of Navan Road, Dublin and formerly St Brigid’s Terrace, Arklow occurred on June 13, 2017 following a brief illness.
Born in 1938, Rita was the daughter of Margaret née Greene and Matthew Keane and the eldest of a family of four.
She married Brian McCarthy of Rory O’Connor Place in Arklow in 1959 and they soon moved to Dublin.
They had five children Elizabeth, Mairead (RIP), Doreen, Deirdre and Brian.
Rita was predeceased by her daughter Mairead, parents Margaret and Matthew and brother Mattie.
Rita was laid to rest with her daughter who passed away in 1979, in Palmerstown Cemetery, following requiem Mass in the Church of our Lady Help of Christians, Navan Road.
The chief celebrant was Fr Eoin Thynne and the Mass was concelebrated by Fr Alec Stenson.
During the Mass, Rita’s granddaughter Meadhbh sang the responsorial psalm and Anthony McCarthy played the recessional hymn.
Rita is sadly missed by her husband Brian, daughters and son, grandchildren Niall, Conor and Meadhbh Quinn; Kevin, Eimear and Daniel Carr, Dylan, Ryan and Alex McCarthy, and Doreen’s niece Etaine Carr, sister Anna and brother Paddy, extended family, friends and neighbours.
May she rest in peace.