Bridie Cosgrave

The death has taken place recently of Bridie Cosgrave, Newtown, Clogher, a cherished mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and neighbour.

Daughter of the late Tom and Catherine Walsh, Castlecarra, Carnacon, Bridie grew up in her native village close to the shores of Lough Carra to appreciate the way Mother Nature infused life in the newly-sown seeds and nurtured them along through the summer for the harvest in the autumn.

In her earlier working years, she was employed as a nurse in St Mary’s Hospital. In 1947, she married John Cosgrave and they made their home in Newtown, where the couple were blessed with seven children. Sadly for Bridie and John, their son, Padraic died at the tender age of four years.

A resourceful and inspirational woman, she believed that if a job was worth doing it was worth doing well and this could be seen in the way she cared for her family, home and farm. She was a wonderful homemaker and enjoyed milking the cows and helping with the sowing and harvesting of the crops.

In her heart, she held a special affection for children and this was obvious in the loving and caring interest she took in the upbringing of her own children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Indeed she had a special relationship with all children in the locality and they in turn cherished her. She took a keen interest in their achievements and successes as the made their way in the world.

Blessed with a pleasant and outgoing personality, Bridie made many friends on her eighty-eight year journey through life.

She touched the lives of those she met in a very special way. She lived life to the full and was always optimistic and cheerful.

Her garden was indeed very important to her as she patiently tended her flowers. While Bridie will be fondly remembered for the positive input into her family and community she will also be remembered as a woman blessed with a fine entrepreneurial spirit. In addition to the farm work she helped her husband with their hackney business and also ran the family grocery shop in Newtown.

She was blessed with a firm vision of the way her community should develop. She believed that we all should hand on our homes, businesses and communities to the next generation in an improved state. To her family and community she was a source of inspiration and encouragement.

In recent years she was lovingly cared for by her family in her own home in Clogher. She was predeceased by her husband, John in 1976.

It was fitting that the love and affection she radiated to so many people throughout her life was returned to her by the large number of mourners who came to bid farewell to her during her funeral from Belcarra Community Centre, and for her Requiem Mass in St Mary’s Church, Carnacon.

During the funeral Mass, concelebrated by Fr Jack Garvey, Fr James Quinn and Fr Michael Farragher, the Lessons were read by Shane Cosgrave and Fidelis Rice and the Responsorial Psalm was sung by Tom McGovern.

The Prayers of the Faithful were read by John Cosgrave, Kelly Cosgrave, Karen Cosgrave, Emma Cosgrave and Cathal Cosgrave.

During the offertory procession, gifts, representing aspects of Bridie’s life were carried to the altar by her grandchildren, Ciara Cosgrave, Lisa Cosgrave, Cathal Cosgrave, Sarah Cosgrave, Leanne and great-grandson, Dylan Rice.The procession was accompanied by a reflection read by Jonathan Rice.

Bridie, who was laid to rest in Drum Cemetery, is deeply mourned by her sons, Willie and Colm, Castlebar; John and Kevin, Newtown, Clogher and Fidelis, Ross, Castlebar; daughters, Geraldine Rice, Castlebar and Catherine Geraghty, Westport; sister, Peg Biggins, Cashelcarra; daughters-in-law, Liz, Ann, Kay, Noreen and Kathleen, sons-in-law, Tom Rice and Paddy Geraghty; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and numerous other relatives and friends to whom we extend our sincerest sympathies. May her gentle soul rest in peace.