The late Malachy McCourt’s ashes tested for explosives
His daughter Siobhan is hoping to erect a new memorial in her father and uncles' honour
A BAG carrying the ashes of the late Malachy McCourt - brother of Frank McCourt who wrote the famous Angela’s Ashes - was checked for explosives at New York's JFK Airport while they were en route home to Limerick to be scattered in his native place.
Siobhan McCourt, Malachy's daughter, recalled how the security employee pulled out the bag of ashes and asked what it was.
Siobhan explained that it was her father and that she was bringing him home. “The look on this lady's face was priceless,” Siobhan told the Leader this week. “She didn't know whether to drop the bag. She's like, ‘really?’ I'm like, ‘yeah’. And then she says, ‘well, I have to check it first’.”
They wiped down the bag containing the ashes, for explosives. “I said he had an explosive personality. However, he's dust now, you won't have to worry,” smiled Siobhan, who arrived in Limerick with the ashes last week.
Malachy, who passed away in March at the age of 92, wanted his ashes to be scattered in the Hudson River and in Limerick as he wanted to be reunited with his late brothers.
During his final days, Siobhan recalled, he told stories about how he would look out at the River Shannon and manifest that he was going to America one day. “I often thought, well, maybe that's why he was so successful, because he seemed such a manifester.
“He stood at the River Shannon looking out when he was working in an auto mechanic shop and I think he was, like, 13.” Anything he put his mind to, he achieved, such as becoming an accomplished actor and writer.
Malachy was a very strong, determined man, as illustrated by the fact that he escaped the hospice that he was being cared for in, twice. “They kicked him out because he stayed alive longer than six months,” smiled Siobhan.
A tribute to the late Limerick writer and performer took place a fortnight ago at the Lark Concert Hall in Balbriggan, Dublin. Malachy took to the stage for the final time in an urn made by The Men's Shed of the East Wall in Dublin.
Siobhan said that she feels Malachy doesn't want to go as “the pranks keep coming” and she has received what she feels are messages from him, despite Malachy's adoption of atheism.
“While we were on our way home from The Lark theatre after a great show and the tribute to 'himself,' my friend was driving and took a roundabout and the urn toppled. I'm not quite sure how this happened because the lid was on so tight. The men's shed made sure that it would not pop off, but it did and Dad made it clear the show was not over.”
She said they were able to retrieve the ashes successively. “When the ashes toppled, I thought, ‘wow, he really doesn't want to go’.”
Siobhan also believes her Dad reached out to her when she arrived in Belfast and unknowingly booked a hotel opposite St Malachy's Church. “It freaked me out, so I was like, ‘oh, I gotta go in now’.”
Siobhan spread some of her dad's ashes in Belfast where his father is buried, and in Limerick in the old graveyard at Mungret Abbey, Carrigogunnell Castle, Roden Lane and Barrack Hill. She said she “lost the plot” and “got so emotional” while spreading Malachy's ashes in Limerick on Roden Lane where his family grew up.
Along with the tribute to Malachy in Dublin, Siobhan said they had “a great send off” for him on Broadway at Symphony Space. They also had his ashes on stage there.,
Commenting on what she hopes her late father's legacy will be, Siobhan said: “From nothing comes everything and anything. Be kind. He was really kind. He was so nice to everybody... He would give anybody a leg up, use our name, use whatever it takes and it was so unconditional, he didn't ask for anything back.”
It's difficult for Siobhan to accept the reality that all four brothers are gone. “Each one of the McCourt brothers were so different but the common thread was they were all so vibrant and colourful.
“I hope that Limerick will remember the McCourts because they always remembered Limerick, and although their youth was not the best, the love of Limerick prevailed and they all still came home in the end.”
She is hoping to get some kind of monument erected in her Dad and uncles' honour with the help of Una Heaton who founded the Frank McCourt Museum. At the moment there is just a cross dedicated to them in Mungret Abbey. “They deserve it,” said Siobhan. “I really want to get a mural for them, the four brothers. I have such a great picture of them.”
She continued: “These famous writers came from the city and I just feel like it would help.”
“I would hate to see these guys dissolve, because not only were they just successful, but I think they represent hope and they represent possibility more than anything.”