Late mother Úna Bowden had strong family links with Kiltimagh and Knock

THE news of the tragic deaths of Una Bowden and her daughters Ciara (14) and Saoirse (9) in a horrific road accident on the N17 at Castlegar, Claremorris, last week caused huge sadness all around the country.

They were on their way back from a visit to Una’s home place in Raphoe, Donegal, to Moycullen where they had resided for some years.

Una, née Carlin, had strong family ties to the Knock and Kiltimagh area. Her grandmother, Annie Tarpey from Kilcun, was a primary school teacher who married Michael McTague from Ballinamore, Leitrim, and they settled in Letterkenny. His nephew was the legendary Offaly footballer of the 1970s, Tony McTague from Ferbane, who won two All-Ireland medals with Offaly in that decade.

Mary McTague, daughter of Annie and Michael, married John Carlin and they resided in Raphoe. Their daughter Una was driving the car heading home to the Moycullen area of Galway.

Una’s mother Mary, who died around 30 years ago, was a first cousin of Jerome Tarpey in Kilcun and Fidelis Forde in Cordarragh, Kiltimagh. There are also extended family connections of the Tarpey family in Dublin and Kildare.

The family of Annie Tarpey spent many pleasant vacations in her family home in Kilcun and they maintained very strong connections with the area all down the years.

Úna, Ciara and Saoirse will repose at the home of Úna’s father John Carlin, (Carlin Farm) Miltown, Raphoe, until Wednesday morning. The Requiem Mass will be celebrated in St Eunan’s Church, Raphoe, at 12 noon (Wednesday) with interment afterwards in the family plot in the old graveyard in Convoy.