RIP: North Longford community saddened by death of 'woman of great faith and fortitude'

There was deep sadness across the parish when word spread of the death of Patricia (Patsy) McGivney, Cloonagh, who passed away peacefully at her home in the presence of her family on October 26 after a short illness.

Patsy was in her ninety-sixth year and was one of the oldest people in the parish. Although she had limited mobility in recent years, she had been in good form until the last couple of weeks and retained her keen sense of humour and interest in the goings-on in the community.

Patsy was a native of Carnagh and was the daughter of the late Peter and Margaret Lynch. She came to Mullinalaghta when she married Jimmy McGivney of Cloonagh and together they raised their family while working hard on the family farm.

Patsy was dealt a severe blow when Jimmy passed away in 1977, leaving her with a family of seven children, but with characteristic determination she took on the jobs of managing the farm while maintaining the household and taking an active part in the community.

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She took great pride in the successes of her children, and in later years her grandchildren, in all aspects of their lives. She was of course a great supporter of Mullinalaghta GAA, with the house and garden decorated with bunting, flags, and teddy bears for every final, and she took particular pleasure in the success of the club in recent years and the prominent roles that her grandsons James and David played in that success.

Patsy had a generous and hospitable nature and all visitors to the McGivney household were guaranteed a warm welcome and a great conversation over a cup of tea. She and Mairead were particularly great friends with the late D.P. Finnegan, who passed away earlier this year, and we can be sure that Patsy and D.P. will now be renewing acquaintances in the hereafter.

She was a regular attender at Mass until recent years with mobility issues and was a woman of great faith and fortitude whose presence will be greatly missed in the community.

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She was predeceased by her beloved husband Jimmy, her parents Peter and Margaret, her sisters Agnes, Peggy and Anna, her daughter-in-law Bríd and granddaughter Siannoin. She is survived by her children Éilís McKeon (Aughnacliffe), Johnny (Sharon Springs, New York), Peter (Cloonagh), Brian (Druminacrehir), Mairead (Cloonagh), Adele O’Reilly (Middletown), and Noel (Sydney), her sons-in-law Tommy and Malachy, her daughters-in-law Marie and Debbie, her grandchildren James (Sinéad), Evelyn, Jenny, David, Owen, Elaine, James, Yen, Niamh, Tien, Clara and Cormac, her nieces and nephews, relatives, and a wide circle of neighbours and friends to whom we offer our deepest sympathies.

The high esteem in which Patsy and the wider McGivney family are held across the area was manifested in the large crowds who called to the house and who attended her repose and funeral ceremonies. Her Requiem Mass took place in St. Columba’s Church on Tuesday afternoon, October 28 with the interment following afterwards alongside Jimmy in the local cemetery. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam uasal agus dílis.

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