Arva mourns dressmaker and shopkeeper who enjoyed meeting customers and having a laugh

The Arva area, was saddened by the news of the death of Mrs Mary Theresa Smith (Tessie), Main Street, Arva, Co Cavan who died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on Wednesday, August 16.

Tessie Smith (nee Lynch) was born on October 23, 1930, she was the youngest child of Patrick and Kate Lynch (nee Brady) and lived in Dingins, Gowna, with her siblings; Pat, Philip, John and Bridget (Lyons) who have all predeceased her.

Her mother Katie Brady was originally from Trinity Island, Lough Oughter, Killeshandra, Tessie spent many summers on her Aunts farm in Trinity Island. There were only two families living there and she appreciated the tranquillity, along with the flora and fauna of the Island.

At the age of 14 Tessie started working as an apprentice dressmaker in Dowds Dressmakers in Killeshandra. She stayed with her Aunt Susan Brady, Drumgoon and cycled to Killeshandra daily, her bicycle was also useful for travelling to dances in Cornafean and to football matches.

Tessie progressed well with her dressmaking skills and moved to Crowe’s Dressmakers in Arva.

In January 1958, she married P.J. Smith from Drumshinney, Arva and they bought their house on Main Street and opened ‘Smiths Grocery Shop’ there. P.J. had been working from that house, as a ‘Stitcher of Leather’ making O’Neill leather footballs for O’Neills in Dublin. This house became their family home and business premises.

She bought a ‘big industrial knitting machine’ and made ‘Machine knit Jumpers and Cardigans’ which she sold to local families, with her label ‘Smiths Knitwear’ on the inside neck of them.

In her later years, she continued dressmaking and made dresses, coats, curtains, and quilts for her family. She always worked in their grocery shop, where they sold ‘everything’ including loose biscuits and sweets, loose tea and sugar, milk, bread, turf, coal, O’Neill footballs and fishing rods.

The currency has changed from Pounds, Shillings and Pence to Decimalisation and then to Euro but she continued to use her copybook and pencil for all her sums and ignored the modern cash register and calculators. She enjoyed meeting the customers and having a laugh with them about local and national news. This 92 year old lady will be greatly missed.

She is pre-deceased by her husband P.J. Smith and is sadly missed by her children; Francie, Pauric, Mary T. (Fitzharris) John and Breege (Scott), her ten Grandchildren, and her extended family and friends to all of whom we extend sincere sympathy.

Tessie reposed at the residence of her daughter Breege on Thursday, August 17 and her remains were removed to the Church of the Sacred Heart, Arva for concelebrated Requiem Mass on Friday, August 18 with Fr Oliver O’ Reilly C.C. Arva the main celebrant assisted by Fr Charlie O’ Gorman P.P. Killeshandra. Burial followed in Coronea Cemetery both having a large attendance of mourners, paying their respects.