Longford's Annie Mai Casserly remembered as a great neighbour and local businesswoman

After a long lifetime spent in the parish of Newtowncashel Annie Mai was known to all and sundry in the locality and beyond.

Born into a family of seven children in Curroole, Newtowncashel, Annie Mai assumed the role of mother figure to her younger siblings after the early death of her mother Catherine Flynn. Two sisters (Sr Lucy and Sr Kathleen) and one brother (Fr Johnny) joined religious orders. She is survived by her sister Liza and her brothers Fr Johnny, Mike and Séamus.

Annie Mai married Noel Casserly in 1957 and subsequently moved into the village. Noel was the Postmaster and Annie Mai took over the running of the shop.

She was the proud mother of Pat, Martin and Catherine, and a loving grandmother to Suzy, Kate, Niall, Fergal, Padraic, Isabelle and Cormac.

Looking back on that time now we would say that Annie Mai was a strong role model in terms of her business skills. She was an entrepreneur before the day of career women. She had excellent communication skills which she put to use regularly!

Annie Mai was a great person to stop and talk and listen to her customers. She took great pride in the appearance of her house, her business, her flower garden and her rockery.

Annie Mai was a founding member of the Newtowncashel Tidy Towns Committee and took immense pleasure in Newtowncashel winning a Gold Medal in 1980. She was always very pleased when the Post Office was highly commended in the annual Tidy Towns report.

Annie Mai was a stylish lady who liked her fashion. She was a very resilient woman, an avid reader, kept up to date on all news and events and always had an intelligent and profound outlook on life. She had a great knowledge of the locality and was a big help to overseas visitors who came calling trying to trace their roots.

A kind friend and neighbour, Annie Mai was laid to rest beside her husband Noel in Cashel cemetery in Newtowncashel on Tuesday, May 24.