Mourners told former Mayor of Clonmel worked for the needy, the poor, and the sick
Patricia O’Sullivan was a lifelong advocate for people with mental health issues
Mourners at the funeral Mass of a former Mayor of Clonmel Patricia O’Sullivan were told by Fr. Hegarty that she fought a life not in the promotion of self but for the rights of people, the weak, the needy, and the sick.
“These were the people Patricia was interested in, ordinary people,” said Fr Hegarty, who celebrated the Requiem Mass along with Canon Brendan Crowley and Fr Eugene Barrett, a cousin of the family.
Symbols of her life brought to the altar included a picture of her with her parents when she was elected the first female Mayor of Clonmel in 1976, the People of the Year Award she won, some sand from her favourite beach in Achill Island when the family often went on holiday, and a picture of her grandchildren, who were her great love, pride and joy.
Sean, in a tribute to his mother, thanked everybody for the support they had shown the family over the previous days and said that kindness and support meant a lot to every member of the family. He also thanked the Achill emergency services for the help they provided to his father, John, who was on a break with Patricia in Achill when she passed away.
Sean told members of the family about Patricia’s achievement of becoming the first woman to become Mayor of Clonmel and informed mourners that her interest in community started when she was 15 years of age, when she joined Clonmel Youth Club. She went on to advocate for the elderly; she worked as a psychiatric nurse and was very struck by the fact that people were in care not because they were ill but because they were old, and she campaigned for proper facilities for the elderly. Patricia went on to be awarded a People of the Year award for her care of the aged and went into politics as a member of the Labour Party. Patricia was a founding member of the South Tipperary Mental Health Associaiton andf was a member of the board of the Cluain Training centre for decades. Patricia grew up in ~Abey road and was involved with Clonmel Rowing Club and was proud to be honoured by Clonmel Rugby Club when she was Lady Mayor of Clonmel.
Sean told mourners that Patricia was immensely proud to see the name of O’Sullivan Insurances on the jerseys of St Mary’s GAA Club and said it meant so much to the family for the GAA to observe a minutes silence in Semple Stadium for Patricia on a proud day for the club that saw them bring senior hurling back to Clonmel.
As a mother, Sean said Patricia ensured all her family had every opportunity when they were growing up, and she felt blessed to have so many grandchildren in her life who also never wanted for anything. Wishing his mother farewell, Sean said every family member had a sense of immense pride and gratitude for the time they all had with Patricia.