Kathleen Smyth, Cavan

The death occurred on Wednesday, May 13, of Kathleen Smyth, 6 Keadue, Cathedral Road and 60 Main Street, Cavan, in her 93rd year at Cavan General Hospital after a short illness. A native of Clybawn, Galway, Kathleen was second child of the late Michael and Mary King and was born on in September 1916. Educated at Barna National School and Galway Technical School, she served her time to the drapery business working in John Forkin"s of Eyre Square Galway. After her apprenticeship Kathleen worked in Tralee and later with Cullen"s of Longford. On Halloween 1939 she arrived in Cavan to take up a senior position in the well-known Philip McDonnell"s Drapery on Main Street, Cavan. She married Michael Smyth of 60 Main Street Cavan on Saint Swithin"s Day (July 15, 1940) in Galway Cathedral and they lived first in Butlersbridge commuting to their business by bicycle during the war years. Taking up residence above the shop in 1942, they specialised in selling electrical and battery radios hiring amplification and general electrical goods. With Cavan contesting most of the All-Ireland finals in Kathleen"s early years, thousands of batteries would be on charge in the weeks leading up to the All-Ireland final. Later Kathleen and her husband Mick specialised in musical instruments, records and nursery equipment of which Kathleen was an acknowledged expert. In 1956 television reception became available in Cavan from the BBC transmitter on Divis overlooking Belfast and Smyth"s, 60 Main Street, were first to display the pictures in their premises where they had hundreds of visitors to witness Donald Campbell breaking the world land speed record England beating Australia in the Cricket Test series and Manchester City defeating Birmingham City in the 1956 FA cup final. In 1962 RTE commenced transmission and this added a new impetus to the sales and rental of television. In 1972 Smyth"s began to lay the first cables for the installation of pipe TV in Cavan thus making available excellent reception on both monochrome and colour television in all areas of the town for the first time. Such was the phenomenal success of the cable television that Smyth"s later wired Naas and Longford with satellite operations in Navan and Carrickmacross and all of the systems are still operational to this day. Michael and Kathleen having reared four boys Micheal, Oliver, Pearse, and Niall and three girls Mary (Connolly) Katherine (Elliott) and Doreen (McEvilly) over the shop moved their private residence to 6 Keadue, Cathedral Road, in the Summer of 1975. Michael (Mick) Smyth died suddenly on in December 1976 and Kathleen was widowed at 60 years of age. She continued to work part time in the shop meeting her old customers and friends who had supported her so loyally from the start. Kathleen was to travel extensively during her leisure years crossing the Atlantic 14 times to visit her daughter Mary who emigrated to Maryland with her family in 1985. Deeply religious she had a great devotion to Our Lady and made the annual Kilmore Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes on 16 occasions, also visiting Fatima and Garabandel on two occasions. She also travelled to the Holy Land in 1980 on a tour organised by her good friend John McGinnity (McGinnity Travel Cavan) and her sister-in-law Teresa Smyth later wrote a book on this most memorable tour 'Bird"s Eye View of The Holy Land'. Lifelong devotion to Saint Padre Pio she journeyed to Medjugorje on four occasions and was in Rome for his canonisation. Her life was built around her family and her religion and she came to Cavan just as the foundation stone for the erection of a new Cathedral were laid in 1939. She took great pride and joy in its building and consecration free from all debt on September 14, 1947 the same day that Cavan beat Kerry in the All-Ireland final in the Polo Grounds in New York. She made the pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine at Knock over 160 times and was there to greet Pope John Paul 2nd on September, 30 1979. Kathleen climbed the Reek at Croagh Patrick seven times and made the three-day Penitential Pilgrimage to Saint Patrick"s Purgatory Lough Derg on an incredible 37 occasions. For years she travelled to Kilnacrott every week to take part in the community prayers and devotions. She was a life long member of St. Joseph"s Young Priests Society, The Children of Mary, The Legion of Mary and Cavan Wheelchair Association. In recent years of retirement and old age she was a well known figure in Cavan town her elegant appearance and friendly personality endeared her to generations of Cavan people. She died on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima at Cavan General Hospital surrounded by her family singing hymns and praying for her peaceful and safe passage to eternity. Predeceased by her husband Michael and her grandson Patrick Connolly (January 2009) she is survived by her sons Micheal, Oliver, Pearse and Niall; daughters, Mary Connolly, Maryland, USA, Katherine Elliott, Drumelis, and Doreen McEvilly, Sligo; 14 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Teresa Smyth; nephews; nieces; neighbours and friends. Having reposed at the residence of her daughter Katherine Elliott "Sacre Coeur" Drumelis from Thursday, May 14, her removal took place on Friday, May 15, where her remains were received at the Cathedral by Father John Gilhooley Adm assisted by Father David Bradley, Father Martin Gilchreest and Father Eugene O Dowd. Among the attendance was the Bishop of Kilmore Leo O Reilly, the Abbott of Kilnacrott Gerard Cusack and much cherished old family friend Monsignor P. J. McManus. Fr. Tom Mannion assisted by Fr. Eugene Clarke and Fr. Felim McGovern officiated at her Requiem Mass in the Cathedral on Saturday, May 16 and Kathleen Smyth was later laid to rest on the anniversary of her husband Michael"s birth in the family burial plot in Killygarry cemetery.