A fond farewell to Bridget

Fond farewell for Mayo’s oldest citizen

Neill O’Neill

THE death occurred last week of Mayo’s oldest citizen – and one of its best-known – Mrs Bridget O’Malley (pictured) of Owenwee, Westport.
Bridget was in her 105th year when she passed away, having celebrated her 104th birthday at her Owenwee home with family and friends on Saturday, June 1 last.
Born Bridget Catherine Fadden in Loughloon on May 31, 1904, a mile from where she lived in Owenwee, Bridget was the fourth of nine children and attended national school in Brackloon in the same class as the man who would eventually become her husband. She spent several years in America in the 1920s and lived through every major event of the last century as the world around her changed and modernised dramatically.
On the occasion of her 100th birthday, she received a special message and cheque from President Mary McAleese and was also the recipient of birthday greetings from the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.
Each year since her 100th birthday she has received a specially-struck birthday medal from the State and on the occasion of her last birthday earlier this month she was publicly congratulated by Fr Denis Carney at weekend Masses in St Mary’s Church, Westport.
Right up to her final illness, Bridget enjoyed perfect health, and just two days before she died she read The Mayo News from cover to cover.
She was wife of the late Edward O’Malley, Owenwee, author of ‘Memories of a Mayoman’, which had been launched years earlier by the then Minister for the Gaeltacht, Donncha Ó Gallachóir. Edward passed away in 1997.
Bridget was well known outside her native town, and once won a coveted ‘Irish Welcome Award’ from Fáilte Ireland in recognition of her services to tourism, and in particular her homely and warm welcome for guests and the famous brown bread that no visitor at her daughter’s Bed and Breakfast on Westport’s Castlebar Road could leave without sampling.
She also made an appearance on the BBC programme ‘Songs of Praise’ and television personality Eamonn Holmes visited her at home in Owenwee, where Bridget spoke about Westport, Croagh Patrick, religion and her faith.
Speaking after the visit, Eamonn Holmes said: “She is an unbelievable person, I have never met anyone like her with such courage, faith, spirit and determination. I really enjoyed my time with her and I even got to taste her famous brown bread.”
Bridget is mourned by her daughters, Catherine O’Reilly, recently retired principal of Brackloon NS, and Bernadette Grimes; sister, Margaret Kearns; sons-in-law; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, neighbours and many friends.
Following repose at the family home, removal took place to St Mary’s Church, Westport, where her Funeral Mass was concelebrated on Saturday last. Burial took place afterwards in Drummin Cemetery.

FULL OBITUARY NEXT WEEK