Cloonfad mourns ‘brave’ Elaine Bowens (35)

SADLY MISSED The late Elaine Bowens

Michael Commins

PROFOUND sadness was occasioned by the death in recent days of Elaine Bowens (nee Stritch) from Meeltraun, Cloonfad. Elaine (35) died in the kind care of the staff at St Enda’s Ward at Galway Hospital after a long illness borne with characteristic courage and fortitude.
The community united in grief as they gathered again just over a year after her husband Patrick (Pa), who was 41, died from injuries sustained from a fall onto a concrete yard while erecting generator lights to facilitate people attending the funeral wake of his mother Mary at Kiltobar, Cloonfad. Mary was formerly Murtagh from Kilkelly and died unexpectedly at St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin.
Elaine was coping with her own illness at the time and it was a huge cross for her and her family to shoulder in the most trying of circumstances. It was all the more poignant as people in the region were all too well aware of Elaine’s declining health and brave battle for life.
Her passing touched the hearts of all in the region and the outpouring of emotion was reflected by the very large attendances at both the wake in the family home in Meeltraun and in St Patrick’s Church for the Mass of the Resurrection on Wednesday. There were many deeply moving moments and tears flowed freely during the liturgy.
Six priests joined in the concelebrated Mass. The chief celebrant was Fr Joe Feeney, PP, whose consoling homily was much appreciated by the family circle. Interment took place in Cloonfad Cemetery.
Elaine will be sadly missed by her loving sons Jason (6) and Adam (3), stepdaughter Ciara, her heartbroken parents Joe and Evelyn Stritch, brothers Enda and Eugene, sister Kathie, aunts, uncles, father-in-law SeΡn, brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, cousins, extended family, neighbours and a large circle of friends.


This story has been amended, as some dates in the original were incorrect.