Mary Ellen Costello,
Gorlough, Taugheen
THE death took place recently at her residence following a short illness of Mary Ellen Costello, Gorlough, Taugheen. She was formerly Walsh from Taugheen and was predeceased by her husband Michael John 17 years ago.
Mary Ellen was the eldest of a family of seven. Her mother died at the age of 39 and Mary Ellen stayed at home to take care of the family along with her father.
She met and later married Michael John Costello from Belmont, Milltown. A place owned by Michael Sweeney came for sale and Michael John and Mary Ellen purchased what was to become home for the rest of their lives and where they raised their own family of five children, four sons and a daughter.
Hard work was second nature to them and they spent many a long day toiling on the land while Mary Ellen also took the greatest of care of her family and her home. In those early years, much reclamation work was carried out as they turned their farm into a fine holding of land.
Mary Ellen was very much at ease looking after many of the regular farming chores like milking the cows and helping with the crops and livestock. It was a way of life that came naturally to many women of her generation in this country.
She was a great women for the home produce. Mary Ellen’s soup was top of the range, a dinner in itself. She was top class when it came to baking and her brown bread was a special favourite in the family circle.
A member of the Taugheen ICA Guild for many years, she enjoyed meeting her friends at the monthly meetings and also going on their annual outings in former times.
She was a member of the Pioneers all her life and had a special fondness for the weekends away organised by Claremorris PTAA each year. She also undertook a number of tours with some of the Active Retirement groups in the region. In more recent times, she availed of the Rural Transport Scheme which took her to Claremorris on a weekly basis and which provided her with a cherished sense of independence.
Apart from these outings, Mary Ellen was always more than happy to stay at home in Gorlough where she was content all the years. On one occasion, however, she did venture on a long journey, all the way to Chicago to visit her sister, Bridie Rochford, since deceased.
A woman of deep faith, she was a regular at the Saturday night Mass and again at Sunday morning Mass in Taugheen Church for many years. Her faith was a central part of her life down through the decades.
Mary Ellen enjoyed a long and contented life and was well liked and greatly respected among her neighbours in the Taugheen and Carramore region. She will be fondly remembered by her devoted family and all who knew her as a kind and gracious lady.
Removal was from St Colman’s Funeral Home, Claremorris to Taugheen Church with burial in the local cemetery after Requiem Mass celebrated by Msgr Dermot Moloney.
Mary Ellen is survived by her daughter, Marie (Phelan), and sons, Pat, Micheal, Tony and Martin, daughters-in-law Mary, Noreen, Deirdre and Mary, son-in-law John, grandchildren, brothers Padraig (Taugheen), Michael (New Zealand), John (Balla) and Martin (Kilmaine), sister Sr Louise (Dublin), nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.