Mary Kate Shields

Mary Kate Shields (nee O’Malley) passed away peacefully on Oct. 23, 2011, at the age of 103.

She was predeceased by her husband Patrick, sister Anne, brothers Tommy, Anthony, James and John and is survived by her children Jimmy, Francis, Joe, Patsy and Joanne, 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Mary Kate, formerly of Arderry, Aughagower, emigrated to Philadelphia in 1927 and married Patrick Shields from Co Donegal in 1936.

She returned to Aughagower just twice: in 1967 she was reunited with her brothers Tommy and Anthony and sister Anne; and in 1982 she travelled around the West of Ireland with her daughter Joanne and granddaughter Nancy.

Mary Kate loved to receive letters  and phone calls from Ireland,  always wore green on her birthday which was close to St Patrick’s Day, and was still singing ‘Danny Boy’ and ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ up to weeks before she passed away.

She was an inspiration and will be sorely missed by her family in the US, UK and Ireland.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dhílis.