OBITUARY: Mrs Breege Watters was a devoted wife, loving mother and inspirational grandmother

The death has taken place of Mrs Breege Watters “Benbree House” 67, Carrive Road, Forkhill on Monday 11th July 2022.
Breege passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family. The funeral took place from her residence to St. Mary’s Church Mullaghbawn.

Requiem Mass was celebrated by Rev Fr. Emlyn Mc Ginn PP. Burial followed in the adjoining cemetery. 
Breege leaves behind her devoted children James, Fergal, Sheila, Eva, Bernard and Maire, Sons in law Lawrence Freeburn, Robbie Doolan and Eoghan O’ Neill, Daughters in law Bernadine Watters and Emer Watters. Her beloved grandchildren Ben, Jenny and Erin Watters, Rosanna, Julia and Therese Doolan, Brea, Freddie and Aoibhean Freeburn, Patrick, Benny, Eoghan Roe, Marianna and Michael O’ Neill. Her sisters Rosaleen and Nan, her brother Michael, cousins, nieces, nephews and large family circle. 

Breege was born Brigid Teresa Boyle on Sunday 5th November 1933 in Carrickbroad in the neighbouring Parish of Dromintee. She was the eldest of eight children. 
After attending Dromintee Primary School and Newry Tech. Breege qualified as a bookkeeper and worked in Lavelle’s, an Agricultural Merchants through the 1950’s. In this profession she was known for her professional approach, her discretion and her attention to detail – everything was done to perfection.

Devoted Couple
Breege met her husband Benny on St. Patrick’s Day 1952 and they got married in 1959.They were a devoted couple. They complimented each other and were married for over 40 years. They made their home in the aptly named “Schoolhouse” in Carrive- aptly named because Breege was always interested in education. Breege encouraged her children to go to university. They now work in the medical, legal, farming, teaching and dental professions . 

However, we should not forget that it was Breege who led the way. She returned to university qualifying as a Further Education teacher of Economics, Accounting and Commercial Law. She continued to teach for many years. Breege always saw the best in people. She had an excellent rapport with all her students. Her motto was “reach your full potential”. 
B re e g e ’s own heart always lay in her family home and farm. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother and an inspirational grandmother. 

As well as having a fine intellect Breege had a love of fashion and home decorating. She put this skill to good use in renovating properties she purchased. Breege was a thorough and meticulous person who was both an excellent cook and entertainer. She relished hosting dinners for family and friends. She offered exceptional hospitality to all who came from near and far. This was also extended to cooking for men who were employed on the farm.

Breege possessed an entrepreneurial spirit and creative outlook. She loved dressmaking and made her daughter’s bridesmaids dresses. For over 40 years she did all the wallpapering and made all her own curtains. Her creativity always pushed her to visualise improvements and actualise them. Nowhere is more evident than on her farm where she oversaw various reclamation programmes in conjunction with her husband Benny and her son Fergal. 

It is true to say that everything that Breege did was rooted in her faith in God. In her early years she led her children at prayer saying the rosary in the evening. Her example and that of her husband Benny bore great fruit. 

The death of her husband Benny in 2000 was a great loss and a watershed in her life. At this time, she was given a St. Benedict’s cross and this remained very close to her in the years that followed. It is poignant that she passed away on his Feast Day. The second reading from St. Paul at her funeral mass, in which she chose herself well in advance rings true: “ I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”

Despite declining health in recent years, Breege, still up until quite recently, could be heard answering the rosary when her family would pray with her. It is a testament of her enduring faith and hope. During the wake several people alluded to the heartfelt letters they received from Breege in their time of sorrow offering comfort and consolation. 

We pray that Breege will enjoy the greatest blessing of all to be in the presence of God with her husband Benny, the angels and saints and all who have gone before her. Today, our prayer is in thanksgiving to God for all the blessings of B re e g e ’s life. Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed Rest in Peace. Amen.

Eulogy
At Breege's funeral mass her eldest son James delivered this eulogy: 
Rev Fr Emlyn, family and friends. On behalf of my brothers and sisters I would like to reflect on our mother’s life for a moment. 

When I think of Mammy two words spring to mind: generosity and love. No matter how busy she was, if you ever had an issue, she was always there for you. Time stood still when Mammy was helping you out. There is great reassurance when you know someone is there one hundred percent for you. That was our Mother Breege Watters. 
When I think of the word love with Mammy, three things come to mind: her love of her family, her love of her faith and her love of her roots.

Regarding her roots. Mammy spent her whole life in the Parishes around the foothills of Slieve Gullion. The young Breege Boyle grew up in the 1930’s and 1940’s. She was very proud of her ancestry and her father was a Millowner, a singer, a champion Irish step dancer and her mother as his pillar of strength at home. 

A smile would come to her face when she spoke about cycling over to her beloved godparents Auntie Rose and Uncle Jem. She was especially close to them. This was a joyful carefree period of her life. 
I remember Mammy telling me she started work in Lavelle’s in December 1949 as a bookkeeper. As a natural people person, she slotted in easily. My mother journeyed through the 1950’s with a zest for life. She followed in the footsteps of her father and Grandfather serving the local community. 

Love of family: When you have that zest for life. When you are a happy, young, optimistic person exuding positive energy around other people, it was no surprise whatsoever that the love of her life entered her life on St Patrick’s Day 1952. It was on that day Mammy met Daddy -Benny. He was from the neighbouring Parish of Cullyhanna. Twenty-two years ago at his funeral, I said they were a team. They really were. They were a happy team. They always looked out for each other. You’d often see them together. It was rare to see one without the other. This is what I grew up with and it gives me a great sense of togetherness in the family. 

My Mother was an independent woman. She was an exceptional lady of her time who was admired and respected by all for her warmth and kindness to others.

The “Schoolhouse” which Fr. Emlyn referred to was renamed “B e n b re e ”- Ben for Benny, Bree for Breege. Like her forefathers before her, Mammy had an inbuilt determination and self-belief that they could live well in these parts. 
How did she make that a reality? – By continuously trying to improve her farm, by farm diversification, becoming involved as a tourism operator.

She even hosted a delegation of farming representatives from both sides of the border in 1995. Mammy would be the first to admit that none of this could have happened without a good team behind her. Her team was my father Benny and my brother Fergal. 

One thing my mother understood well was the rhythm of life. Things don’t stand still. She brought her Auntie Rose to live with us when we were very young. We were privileged to have Roseanne with us for the last 22 years of her life and that was thanks to Mammy. In many ways Mammy encouraged us by her own behaviour in the “art of the possible”, for example going back to university, lobbying the council for a telephone kiosk in Carrive and getting it. In later life she was passing on the same values to her grandchildren.

If I could sum up her influence in one sentence it would be “Always be a first-rate version of yourself rather than a second-rate version of someone else. “ Mammy liked having lots of family functions and having lots of pictures reminding her of those events. On that note everyone is invited today for her Celebration Meal in the Carrickdale Hotel. 
The glue that held my Mother’s Life together was her love of her faith. Mammy was called after St Brigid and the shrine in Faughart held a special place in her heart that was fostered in her childhood days. Mammy had a great devotion to Our Lady of Knock, Lourdes and Medjugorje. 

She enjoyed travelling on many pilgrimages abroad with her family. She loved her faith both in public and private as an active member of the Bethany House of Prayer and as a Mass Reader in Forkhill for ten years. 
On behalf of my brothers Fergal and Bernard, my sisters Sheila, Eva and Maire, I would particularly like to thank the wonderful carers from the bottom of my heart who looked after Mammy in her twilight years. A sincere thank you to you all. I also would especially thank my brother Fergal who lived at home with Mammy and our friend and neighbour Mickey for your constant support to us especially in recent years. To my mother ’s medical team especially my brother Bernard -thank you and for everyone who assisted in this service, Thank you. 

My Mother was blessed with a long and happy life. She wrote the following words for her mother – I read them to her. “Mammy, you never truly leave us. You live on in the kindness you showed, the comfort and love you brought into our lives. You were an inspiration.” 

The last thing I will say about my mother- she was a great conversationalist, so great in fact that I remember saying to a cousin once – what is your last abiding memory of my father?” C’mon B re e g e ” – quick as a flash he said” C’mon Breege”, my mother was deep in conversation, and he’d have to wait till she finished. 
Well Mammy, while we are heartbroken you are leaving us, Daddy is whispering “C’mon Breege”. You are not alone and as you prepare to go to your final resting place Daddy is singing 
“And I’ll be waiting on the far side banks of Jordan. I’ll be sitting drawing pictures in the sand and when I see you coming, I will rise up with a shout and come running through the shallow waters, reaching for your hand”.