Mayo expat in Birmingham remembered fondly upon sad passing

SEAN Niland, who died recently in Birmingham, was formerly of Dalton, Ballyfarna, Claremorris, Mayo. He had been in declining health in recent months.

Sean, who was son of the late May (nee Staunton) and Pat Niland, spent the vast bulk of his working life in England. The Niland family have always been held in the highest regard in the local community and Sean was one of a family of five.

His mother, May, who died in 2013, was a wonderful lady and was in her 101st year at the time of her passing.

Like many of his generation, he went to England where he secured employment in Birmingham and made his home in that part of the English Midlands. Birmingham had a thriving Irish community in former times with a strong Mayo and Castlebar Associations thriving in that region.

Sean was a man imbued with the work ethos of the Niland family and he brought all those qualities to bear on his journey through life. He made many friends among his working colleagues in Birmingham and was always and ever immensely proud of his Mayo roots.

He made several journeys back home including one earlier this year where he was joined by family members for a lovely reunion evening in the Cill Aodháin Hotel in Kiltimagh.

Neighbours and friends join with us in extending condolences to Sean’s family in Birmingham and to all the Niland family at this time.

The funeral Mass was celebrated last week in St Paul’s Church, Sisefield Road, and was followed by interment in Kings Norton Cemetery, Longdales Road, Birmingham.

Sean, who was predeceased by his wife Teresa and his parents Pat and May Niland, will be sadly missed by his son John, daughter Anna (Ivory), daughter-in-law Marites, son-in-law Sean, granddaughter Chloe, sisters Mary Burke (Ballyhaunis) and Rene Foody (Enniscrone), brothers Padraic (Rockfield, Claremorris) and Jimmy (Chicago), brother-in-law Tommy, sisters-in-law Maureen and Doreen, nieces, nephews and many friends.