TEMPLEGLANTINE

COMHBHRÓN

The death occurred in Beechwood Nursing Home on Tuesday, April 7 of Mary Carmody, Devon Road and the parish lost a wonderful community leader and worker who played a huge role in parish life for half a century. She gave unsparingly of herself for the betterment of her parish community and put into practise the teaching of Canon Hayes, the founder of Muintir na Tíre.

She was a founder member of the Templeglantine guild of Muintir na Tíre which was set up in 1964. Her fellow officers at that time were Fr Michael Minihan PP, Matthew Dillane NT, Maurice J Sheehan, John Liston and Seán Ward. Mary was the driving force in the establishment of group water schemes in various parts of the parish at that time and in following years. These schemes not alone facilitated many parish households with tap water but also their construction helped to build up a strong community spirit in the locality.

At the start of the 1970s the emphasis was on the provision of a parish Community Centre and Mary again with the then chairman Dónal Sheehan coordinated the wonderful support of parishioners and former parishioners to achieve the goal. Mary was the driving force behind participation in the Tidy Towns Competitions for almost forty years. She was also very involved in the Pioneer Total Abstinance Association for a long period of time. She was always most willing to give her support to any parish or community initiative.

Mary had a great love of the Irish language and culture and played her part in the local Glór na nGael and Comhaltas. She was a member of the church choir for a long number of years and was also an ardent supporter of the Great Southern Greenway along the track of the old railway line. Mary will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Go dtuga Dia suaimhneas síoraí dá hanam.

EASTER

Easter was so different this year, no churchgoing for the faithful, ceremonies instead on the television screens or on-line through the computer and family visitations curtailed. On a normal Easter weekend it would be difficult to cross the N21 road which cuts the parish in two but this year that was not a problem.