Kildare Minister Martin Heydon bids late mother Sheila farewell

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Research and Development, Martin Heydon, has bid his late mother Sheila farewell.

Sheila Heydon-Hughes (née Fennin) passed away peacefully last week at her home on Sunday, January 9.

The Fine Gael TD said: "Many thanks to everyone who over the past week shared condolences and prayers with us as well as memories of Mam, your support has been a great comfort to us all."

"We will miss Mam terribly but we also are blessed to have so many happy memories of a great Mother, Grandmother, and friend.

"Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam," he added.

Hundreds of commenters offered their condolences to Minister Heydon TD on his official Facebook page.

Sheila Heydon-Hughes, formerly of Calverstown Little, was the beloved wife of the late Martin Heydon and Denis Hughes.

Her passing is deeply regretted by her loving children Rosemary, Annette and Martin Heydon, son in law Marcelo, daughter in law Bríanne, Rosemary’s fiancé Martin, her beloved grandchildren, Liam, Molly, Marc, Martin D, Pádraic, John and Juliet, her brother Michael Fennin, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.

Sheila Heydon-Hughes was buried on Wednesday morning, following an afternoon mass at the Church of SS Mary and Laurence Crookstown, in the adjoining cemetery. 

A number of people and organisations left messages of condolences for the late Calverstown native on RIP.ie, including: TD Sean Fleming, Councillor Bill Clear, Councillor Peggy O' Dwyer, Courtwood GAA Club in Laois,  the Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI), the Patrician Primary School in Newbridge and Fine Gael's Wexford and Tipperary branches.