RIP: Mayo woman's passing sparks sadness in local community

THE death has taken place of Emer Hennelly (nee Mulderrig), Purranes, Hollymount, Mayo. She died in the kind and devoted care of the staff at Hollymount Nursing Home, surrounded by her family.

She was daughter of the late Tom and Kathleen Mulderrig, Altbawn, Bohola, and was also predeceased by her sister Kathleen (Mullarkey), Knock Road, Claremorris, a former teacher at Taugheen NS who died in August 2021.

Emer was a lady of quiet and gentle disposition and a member of a well known and highly regarded family in the Bohola region. She retained many friends from her young days growing up around Bohola and Kiltimagh.

Emer spent some years as part of the Civil Service at Dail Éireann before moving home to Mayo after marrying Michael Hennelly.

The Hennelly family shop at Purranes provided a fine service to the local community for many years before the advent of supermarkets and other stores in neighbouring towns and these developments led to the demise of the rural shops.

Michael also had a popular travelling shop in those times.

Later years saw Emer become a member of the staff at Ryder’s Pharmacy in Ballinrobe where, once again, her kind and obliging nature and empathy with customers was much to the fore.

Emer had a special fondness for set dancing and was a regular at some of the Céilís around the local region over the years.

Chris Oates from Taugheen, paying tribute to Emer, said she was “a lovely lady, always with a lovely smile and friendly words. She loved her set dancing in the Scioból in Ballintubber and going to the Céilís.”

Emer was an elegant, gracious and good natured lady and will be sadly missed by all who knew her over the years.

Reposing was at Roundfort Community Funeral Home and interment took place in Roundfort cemetery following Mass of the Resurrection in Roundfort Church.

Emer will be sadly missed by her husband Michael, her brothers John, Eamonn, Kieran and Michael, her sisters Rita (Mulhall) and Maura (Kelly), her brothers-in-law P J, Paul and her sister-in-law Mary, nieces and nephews, and all other members of the Hennelly and Mulderrig families, and many friends.