Obituary: Ballyshannon's Kathleen Gillespie always had 'an open house'

The has been a huge outpouring of sympathy and sadness in the south of the county following the recent death of Kathleen Gillespie, Bachelor's Walk, Donegal Road, Ballyshannon,  

Kathleen died peacefully at St. Phelim's Nursing Home, Dromahair surrounded by her loving family and in the wonderful care of the staff on Sunday June 9.

In welcoming the very large congregation of mourners to St Patrick's Church in Ballyshannon, chief celebrant Fr Paddy Dunne P.P. said that the local church “was her second home”. 

The Gospel was read by his concelebrant Fr Dermot Burke.

Later in his homily Fr Dunne recalled that Kathleen “fed half the country from what I hear” which was very appropriate in the context of the sermon on the Mount and the miracle of the loaves and fishes.

He said: “Everyone got fed in that house and they came out stuffed” with one lad telling him “if you came out of that house hungry, there was something wrong.”

ABOVE: The late Kathleen Gillespie from Ballyshannon

Kathleen was born in Cashel, Rossnowlagh before moving into the Abbey and attending school at Coolmore, where Angela’s Currid’s mother taught her.

She worked locally in a factory and got engaged, before heading over to England, to her brothers Thomas and Michael “to earn a few pound” as did so many of her generation, before later returning home and marrying her beloved PJ,  

“And we can see the result here, seven amazing wonderful children whom she absolutely loved and cherished and reflected her beautiful love,” Fr Dunne said.   

He recalled how tough it was when Kathleen lost her husband, when he was just 55 years of age and daughter Geraldine was just nine years old or even younger.  

“It was extraordinary the way your mother, just on her own strengths, her person and her fortitude took on an attitude of getting on with it and those times weren’t easy, where she never sat down,“ he added.

“She was a lady that didn’t sit, handy and practical in every way from wallpapering expert to painting or anything that needed sorting out; she seemed to be an expert in ironing, with everything ironed to perfection, the hot press was laid out perfectly and if it was done, it was done right”.

Another aspect of the Gillespie household was its open house policy,  which reflected Kathleen’s “extraordinary capacity to turn something beautiful from what was very little” or as one of her grandchildren had remarked, ‘there were no strangers in Granny’s kitchen and all my friends were always welcome’”.

He reflected on the hospitality shown in the family home, “where each was cherished and looked after” being extended to the parish where Kathleen's fruit and ginger cakes were top billing for many a local fundraiser.

He also alluded to her activities later in life with the Rossnowlagh Ramblers and the Active Age Group as well as her own devoted family looking after Kathleen in more recent times, and being allowed to return some of the love that she had given throughout her own lifetime.

He summed up Kathleen to her family as an “extraordinary woman with a beautiful motherly heart who loved you with her whole being and you have been so blessed, as a family to have wonderful parents”.

He had also been told of her late husband PJ’s great sense of humour.

“You have been blessed to have had two beautiful, kind, loving, gentle, good humoured parents,” Fr Dunne said.   

Kathleen is predeceased by her beloved husband PJ, sisters Mary and Sarah, and brothers Patrick, Micheal, Willie John and Thomas and son-in-law Patrick.

She will be sadly missed by her children Geraldine (Frank), Patricia (Patrick rip), Loretta, PJ (Fionnuala), Marie (Gearoid), John (Carrie), and Hugh (Angela), and her 21 grandchildren and great-grandson, and all her extended family and friends to whom deepest sympathy is extended.

Following the funeral mass at St.Patrick's Church, Ballyshannon on June 11, burial followed afterwards in the Abbey cemetery.