Nora O’Grady (née Higgins)

Nora passed away very peacefully, after a short illness, on Saturday morning, August 27, 2022 in Mayo University Hospital, surrounded by her loving family.
Nora was the youngest of nine children born to Patrick and Ellen Higgins in Recess, Connemara, Co Galway. She went to school in Recess National School and afterwards she completed a Home Economics course in Clifden. After working for the local curate, Fr Horan, as his housekeeper in Recess, Nora emigrated to England at the age of 17. After her time in England she returned home to work again with Fr Horan, this time in Newport, Co Mayo. It was while working in Newport  that she met Dominick O’Grady and they had a courtship for a couple of years, until emigration called again, this time Boston MA, USA, where Nora spent over four years. They continued the romance by weekly letter before returning home to marry Dominick. They married on September 16, 1959 in Christ the King Church in Salthill, Co Galway. 
They settled in Shraloggy, Newport and over the coming years they were blessed with ten children. Nora was a quiet person by nature, but she had a worldly wisdom and had a great way of dealing with any situation. A dedicated wife and mother, she devoted her life to her family, always putting them first. She was an exceptional cook and liked nothing more than providing a banquet for masses of people, whether it be at Christmas or other celebrations for the family, or for the many visitors that came to stay in Shraloggy over the years. 
While Nora lived for more than 60 years of her life in Newport, she was always a proud Galway woman, and more specifically, a proud Connemara woman. She loved  nothing better than visiting her siblings there many times down through the years.
Nora had a very strong faith and had a great dedication to Our Lady. This faith remained with her right up to the end.  In the consoling words of Fr Todd Nolan “She has gone, but the separation is only temporary. We will miss her dearly, but she lives in us and waits for us. She is with God now and God is always close”. Nora was laid to rest in Burrishoole Cemetery after requiem Mass in Tiernuar church on August 30, 2022. Fr Todd Nolan was chief celebrant, and he was joined by Fr Billy Sheridan.
Nora is survived and sadly missed by her daughters Kathleen Moran (Aughagower), Mary O’Malley (Newport), Noreen (Castlebar), Theresa (Westport), her sons Pat (Castlebar), Michael (Newport), Paul (Galway), Kevin (Westport), Seamus (Preston, UK), Thomas (Westport), her thirty-five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, brother Willie, sisters Eileen and Margaret, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family and a wide circle of friends.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.