Sad to relate that last week another two of our most senior citizens
passed away. Kathy McHugh came of an old
Athy family. She was the last of the
Mullery family who lived in No. 12 William Street where her father, Patrick
Mullery once had a bicycle shop. Patrick
married Isobel Browne and Kathy, the second eldest of their ten children, would
on her own marriage bring together two families with Athy connections going
back a long way.
Kathy married Mick McHugh, whose father Matt with his brother Tom on
coming to Athy opened forges/foundries.
I well remember Tom McHugh’s foundry in Janeville Lane just a short
distance from where he lived in No. 7 Offaly Street. His brother Matt opened a forge at the end of
Connolly’s Lane off Meeting Lane before he moved across the road to open
McHugh’s Foundry of Meeting Lane.
Kathy and Mick McHugh had six surviving children when Mick died in
1965 at the young age of 55 years. Kathy
would survive her late husband by 44 years and during that time she suffered a
most horrific loss when her eldest son Matt, his wife and child, her brother
Stan and Stan’s fiancée all died tragically in a motoring accident at
Gallowshill.
Her surviving children, her grandchildren and in time her great
grandchildren would bring her great joy and happiness. Born the year before the Easter Rising she
could recall the Black and Tans in Athy and how her father’s brothers Joe and
Mick were involved in the revolutionary work of the I.R.A. during the War of
Independence. Her uncle Joe was captured
in Cavan and interned in Ballykinler Camp in County Down. Mick Mullery’s story is one of mystery,
disappearing as he did in 1922 only to re-surface 44 years later in Athy
unannounced and unexpected. He left Athy
for a second time after meeting for the last time his niece Kathy and other
members of the Mullery family, returning to Australia where he subsequently
died.
Kathy had a unique distinction of attending in her youth Irish
language classes given by Seamus Malone in his home at Stanhope Street in the
early 1920s. Seamus Malone whom I have
mentioned in previous articles was a legendary socialist republican who was
interned by the British during the War of Independence. Kathy’s interests in matters Irish found
expression in her love of Irish dancing and music and it was the tragic death
of her eldest son Matt which brought to a premature end her regular attendance
at events organised by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann. Nevertheless her interest in Irish music
continued unabated and right to the end she gave her children, but especially
her grandchildren and her great grandchildren the unswerving devotion and
maternal attention of a well beloved family figure.
The funeral mass for Kathy McHugh was celebrated by Monsignor Wilson
who spoke warmly of the mother, grandmother and great grandmother who instilled
in her extended family respect for family and social values. How wonderful it is to reflect on how well a life
as long and valued as Kathy’s can impinge on the family histories of so many
other local families. The McHughs and
the Mullerys would find links through marriage with other old Athy families
such as the Aldridges and the Brackens whose connections with the town of Athy
go back through the generations. She is
survived by Lily, Aidan, Freda, Marie and Rene to whom we extend our
sympathies.
Paddy Walsh’s whole life was immersed in Irish culture. A native Irish speaker from Ring in County
Waterford, Pádraig Breathnach first came to the ‘garrison town’ of Athy in August 1950 to work on the cleaning of
the water pipes which brought water from the hills at Modubeigh. In place since 1907 these same pipes had
finally rid the town of Athy of the awful diseases which bedevilled the
drinking wells from which the local people drew water each day. Paddy who was then a foreman with P.J. Walsh
& Co. met local girl Nancy O’Rourke whose father Paddy was a local harness
maker in Stanhope Street. Married in
February 1953 the young couple lived in Athy from 1955 onwards.
Paddy worked for a while with Bord na Mona before spending 21 years
in the Wallboard factory where he worked in the boiler room with Mick
Doody. When Athy’s largest factory
closed in 1977 Paddy joined Peerless Rugs, also since closed, before finishing
his working life with Athy Urban District Council almost 19 years ago.
Paddy was very involved in the Irish language movement and was one
of the principal promoters of the Gaelic League in Athy during the 1950s and
the 1960s. He was also a founder member
with the late Paddy Dooley, Principal of Kilberry National School and later a
T.D. for this constituency of the Padraig Pearse Commemoration Committee. Vice-Chairman of the Care of the Elderly
Committee for many years Paddy involved himself in a myriad of local activities,
always striving to keep alive the community spirit which was such an important
part of rural life in his native County Waterford. The establishment of the Guide Dog Association
and the revival of Athy Dog Show were due to Paddy’s initiative.
I remember how justifiably proud Paddy was when a few short years
ago his book of Irish poems ‘Ón Rinn Go
Bearú’ was launched here in Athy. In
the introduction to the booklet Paddy wrote:
‘Sna dánta símplí seo ar leanas tugtar
pictiúr beo iontach dúinn den saol atá imithe, de na laethe a bhí – cois
fharraige sa Rinn agus cois Bhearú inár mBaile Átha-İ féin.’
The following poem entitled ‘Iascaire
Átha-İ’ was Paddy’s tribute to his adopted town.
‘Nach aoibhinn mo shaol
Ag deireadh an lae
Is an ghriain ag dul fé,
Um thráthnóna.
Níl scamall sa spéir
Ná scáil ar mo chroí
Is mé suite cois Bhearra
Ag iascaireacht.
Our sympathies go to Mairead, Maurice, Colm and Helen.
The River Barrow continues to flow silently through
the town of Athy as it did for centuries before the Anglo Normans founded a
village on its west bank. Kathy McHugh
and Paddy Walsh, one a native of Athy, the other an adopted son of the South
Kildare town, will be remembered with fondness.
Ar dhéis Dé go raibh a nanamacha.
