A woman remembered for her ‘wonderful gentleness’

Rosemarie Meenagh was born in September 1949 in Tullyvogey, Tydavnet in her Uncle John McKenna’s house where her parents Mary and Terence O’Gorman lived. She was the eldest of four girls including sisters Breege, Patricia, and the youngest Mary Bernadette who died at birth. She received her early education in St Dympna’s National school, Tydavnet and then her secondary education in St Louis Convent Monaghan, travelling by bicycle to school every day.

Following her secondary education Rosemarie went to St Bridget’s Agricultural College in Ardagh, Co Longford for a year which was to prepare her for her further education in the Munster Institute in Cork. Following three years of study she qualified as a Farm Home Management Advisor and thus began her career working in agriculture in various places around Ireland.

Her first job took her to Ramsgrange Co Wexford where she spent a year in an agricultural school and then she moved to Cavan. Part of her training included poultry management and poultry keeping, dealing with small flocks only, up to a hundred birds. While working in West Cavan she held classes that included night classes in cookery, dressmaking and crafts for farm families as well as dealing with small poultry flocks that needed her attention. If poultry were sick she was called on to check it out and had to arrange post mortems if necessary. Turkey cock stations were dotted throughout Co Cavan and she was responsible for ensuring the birds were in good health and condition for servicing. One lady who had no way of getting her turkey to the service depot was delighted when Rosemarie collected the bird for her in the boot of her car. So many facets to her work.

On finishing her work in Cavan she moved to Monaghan for a short while and then moved to a permanent post in Carndonagh Co Donegal in 1973. Here she worked, advising and encouraging locals in all aspects of rural life. She arranged many night classes and talks and succeeded in setting up a couple of ICA guilds and a women’s group in Quigley’s Point.

She met her husband Hugh Meenagh from Loughmacrory Co Tyrone in the early '70s in the Hillgrove Hotel at a dance, and they married in April 1976 and settled initially in Burnfoot Co Donegal, then moving to Letterkenny for a short while before finally settling in Loughmacrory on the family farm. Here they reared six children Mary, Brian, Fergal, Martin, Hugh junior and Aileen. Sadly baby John died at birth. She was a dedicated homemaker and a woman who valued education encouraging her children to work to their full potential. She believed in education being a stepping stone to great success. When her family got a bit older Rosemarie returned to education in Loughrey College and was awarded a Post Graduate Diploma in 'Communications' from Queens University. She became an expert on computers which became invaluable in her day to day work as she became involved in many community projects in Loughmacrory.

At her funeral mass in Loughmacrory on Saturday, November 22, Fr McAnenly described her as “a kind and caring individual who was full of compassion for others, saw the best in people and will be remembered for her wonderful gentleness”. She was an avid reader and enjoyed writing in particular about her early life in Monaghan and had an article published in Ireland's Own in the early 2000s called “Childhood and chickens” which described her early work on the farm in Tullyvogey, Tydavnet, where her mother reared chickens and she took an active part in cleaning the eggs for sale. She described this task as “being quite time consuming for a very busy twelve year old”.

She visited her home in Monaghan on a regular basis over her lifetime visiting her family there. Keeping great contact with her native area involved trips to Geel the town in Belgium that is twinned with the village of Tydavnet. She really enjoyed these trips and made great friends both in Geel and renewing friendships with her Tydavnet neighbours. She is deeply regretted by her husband Hugh, Mary(Sean), Brian(Pam), Fergal, Martin, Hugh (Joanne) Aileen(Ray) and her two sisters Breege Lenihan(Donal RIP) and Patricia Cavanagh(Peter) and her many nieces and nephews. She is also deeply regretted by her nine grandchildren Erin, Maria, Sam, Owen, Nahomy, Aodh, Alanna, Noah Shay Terence and Saoirse. There was a large congregation of mourners at her funeral mass and wake. It was particularly noticeable to see the many people who travelled from her native area and beyond to be with the family at this sad time.

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