Cloonlaura, Killadoon, Louisburgh
She passed away on August 12 last in the loving care of her husband and family.
Aged 72 years, she was formerly Eileen Kilcoyne, a native of Kilsallagh, Westport, and was daughter of the late Thomas and Katie Kilcoyne.
Eileen was a woman of cheerful and gentle disposition who was fondly regarded and held in great esteem in the local community.
She was a devoted wife and mother and no task was ever too great for her to undertake on behalf of her family. Her devotion to her husband and children was richly reciprocated over the years.
Eileen was a wonderful gardener and had a particular interest in flower arranging, a skill which she used to benefit many people throughout her adult life. She took great pride in her own garden which she saw as a facility to complement nature’s own floral creations.
She was a member of the Killeen Church Altar Society for a number of years and her floral adornments of the altar regularly drew words of admiration from church-goers.
Eileen had a very keen interest in art and painted many fine pictures over the years.
She will be sadly missed by her husband, David Gibbons (Cloonlaura); sons, Michael (Dublin), Tommy (Killadoon), Richard (Naas) and David (Carrick-on-Shannon); daughters, Colette Murray (Castlebar), Sal Duffy (Louisburgh) and Patricia Curran (Dublin); brothers, Tommy Kilcoyne (Dublin) and Patrick Kilcoyne (Kilsallagh); sisters, Annie Gavin (Westport), Kitty Kilcoyne (Kilsallagh), Nora Ingham (Carrowholly), Margaret Hegarty (Dublin); 12 grandchildren; sons-in-law and daughters-in-law; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; nephews, nieces, other relatives, neighbours and a very large circle of friends. She was predeceased by her sister, Mary Kilcoyne (London).
Following repose and the traditional wake at the family home, in the company of family, neighbours and friends, removal took place on Wednesday, August 12, from Sweeney’s Funeral Home to Holy Family Church, Killeen. The huge numbers of people who called to the family home and funeral home to sympathise with the family reflected the high regard in which Eileen was held by all who knew her.
Fr Brendan Kilcoyne officiated at the reception ceremony and was also the chief celebrant of her Funeral Mass. The concelebrants were Fr Mattie Long, PP, Fr Richard Gibbons, Fr John Murray, Fr Paddy Gill, Fr Leo Morahan and An tAthair Pádraig Ó Máille. Family members read the lessons and prayers of the faithful and brought the offertory gifts to the altar. The liturgy was enhanced by the singing of Killeen Church Choir.
In the Mass homily, Fr Kilcoyne paid many tributes to Eileen for her devotion to her husband, family and extended family, for her deserved reputation as a good neighbour and friend and her standing as a good community person and supporter of many worthy causes. Tributes were paid to her for her deep faith and her devotion to Mass and prayers. Killeen Church had been the focus of much of that devotion and it was fitting that the committal of her soul to God took place in the church she loved so well before she was taken to her final place of rest. Fr Kilcoyne extended sympathy to Eileen’s husband, David, sons, daughters and extended family on their great loss. She was laid to rest in Killeen Cemetery. May her gentle and caring soul have peaceful rest. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.
Donations in Eileen’s memory may be made, if desired, to Cancer Care, c/o Sweeney Funeral Directors.
