Kathleen Hoban, one of Westport’s best known citizens, laid to rest

‘Counsellor and confidant’?The late Kathleen Hoban.

Kathleen Hoban, one of Westport’s best-known citizens, laid to rest


Neill O’Neill

ONE of Westport’s most venerable and much loved citizens, Kathleen Hoban, was laid to rest last Friday, after she had passed away peacefully earlier last week, following a short illness.
In her ninety-sixth year, Kathleen had enjoyed full health almost all of her life, and was known to many in Westport over the decades as a businesswoman, community person, parent, mother, grandmother and friend.
A native of the town, Kathleen and her husband Paddy (Sargie) operated the family’s pub and grocery businesses on their beloved James Street for many years, before their sons Anthony and Ger took over the pub and grocery business respectively.
Kathleen’s only daughter Mary Navin was her very close companion, living next door with her husband Tom and their three children, while her other son Pat lived with his family in Ardmore, where they still run the renowned Ardmore Country House Hotel.
Kathleen was regarded as the doyenne of the local retail sector in Westport for several decades.
Formerly Kathleen Murray, she was a member of a family that had been in business in Westport for generations. Following her marriage to Paddy ‘Sargie’ Hoban, they jointly ran the Hoban’s Grocery and Bar business with great success.
In later years both premises were amalgamated into a modern Centra store by their son Ger, which continues to trade on James Street, and from its ‘Murray’ days, the business is one of Westport’s oldest retail outlets.
Kathleen Hoban was regarded by many as the fulcrum of the business’s success over very many years. Every customer was welcomed and valued and were always greeted with a smile. Kathleen belonged to an era when many a customer appreciated a listening ear and a word of sound advice on how to deal with the day to day problems of life.
Nobody played the role of counsellor and confidant better than Kathleen, a woman beloved not just of her family, but of her legion of customers and friends.
Kathleen was a woman of very deep faith, something which was reflected in her funeral Mass last Friday.
Joined by a plethora of priests, including Fr Todd Nolan who had grown up on James Street and knew Kathleen all his life, and many others who had been Kathleen’s close neighbours over the years, Fr Charlie McDonnell, a close friend of Kathleen and her family, spoke of how even in her weakest moments before her passing, she still had the strength to pray.
“Kathleen was a woman full of goodness and concern for others and many customers, family and friends experienced that first hand over the years,” he said. “She was great craic too and loved life and fun but was devoted to her place, her people and her God.
“She was a fighter until the end, never gave up,” he said, speaking of how she was close to St Mary’s Church in Westport, not just in proximity as a neighbour, but in her faith.
“This loss is felt around Westport but there is also gain, as we have all gained from knowing Kathleen and from her new place with God she will continue to help us.”
Kathleen’s 14 grandchildren played prominent roles throughout her funeral, bearing gifts, doing readings and prayers and carrying her coffin from her beloved St Mary’s Church. Saturday evening Mass-goers to St Mary’s will now miss the gentle and familiar presence of Kathleen that graced the small pew near the top of the James Street side of the church for so many years.
Her son-in-law and close confidant, Tom Navin, thanked those who had cared for Kathleen in recent times, including the nurses in G Ward in Mayo General Hospital, Dr Des Kelly and Dr Rossa Horgan, the HSE district nurses, Fr Charlie and Fr Karl Burns, the choir and the many neighbours and friends who had symapathised with the family on their loss.
He reserved a special word of gratitude to the staff of Centra in Westport who had formed a guard of honour the previous evening, when Kathleen’s remains were brought down her beloved James Street for the last time.
Kathleen was laid to rest alongside her husband Paddy in Aughavale Cemetery.
(Full obituary later.)