Congratulations to Rita and Tom O’Rourke who recently celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary with all the family in attendance – Eamon, Kay, Olive, Jim and Pete, Tom, Gerard, Anthony, Kevin and Margaret and their respective families. What a remarkable achievement – 60 years together. Staff of St Vincent’s in Athy helped the family organise a party in the nursing home, once again showing what a wonderful caring staff Matron Helen Dreelan oversees.

Bon Voyage to Darragh Meade and Paul Browne on their trip to Australia and keep in touch, Lads!

welcome home to Fran and Pat Treacy of the Naas Road who have returned home from their oversees stint – Tipsy’s loss is our gain!

A special Get Well Wish to our own columnist Matt Purcell who is making good progress in Beaumont Hospital. Matt, we wish you a speedy recovery and hope our sales will not be adversely affected by the absence of your column! You are missed, Matt.

lovely little Ella Louise, born on March 26th to Grainne and Jack Doyle.

Also to Jeanette & Ellis who have a bouncing baby boy.

The Late Marion Murphy McGovern
Daughter of Maura and the late Johnny Murphy of Mountcashel, Marion’s tragic passing saw one of the largest funeral attendances ever in the village. Aged only 49, Marion’s illness – a rare thyroid cancer - was diagnosed briefly before her death and must have been devastating for her partner Gerry and family to accept. For those of you who don’t remember Marion, the older sister of Jane, Aine, Gary and Gail, she was a petite girl with a full mop of curly ‘Afro’ style hair who ran her own boutique “Abigail’s” for years in Newbridge before selling to Aine. She was a bubbly, energetic person whose career spanned secondary school teaching, fashion and cosmetics before she moved into the I.T. sector. Another talented singer in the Murphy clan, Marion was an active member of Newbridge Musical Society before she moved to Dublin in the early ‘90s. Indeed, one of the family’s treasured memories will be a night when all the siblings got together and went to see the late Mick Murphy with singing and chatting galore.

Marion retained close friendships with former schoolmates, in particular Margaret (Horan) Burke and seemed to be in great form at the latter’s 50th Birthday Party before Christmas. She had a full - albeit all too short - life and married Gerry, her partner of thirteen years before she died, the ceremony carried out by close family friend, Monsignor Seamus Conway.

‘Life’ is a terrible contradiction – you think you have all the time in the world to do all the things you want to – and then, like the shrieking whistle of a referee announcing full-time - it’s gone, finished, ‘time over’. No time for regrets, only time for memories.
To Gerry, we offer our sincerest sympathy and to Maura, her mother, her sisters, brother and all the family, we extend our condolences at the loss of this lovely, vibrant young woman. May she rest in peace, amen.

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Fond Farewell for Robin
What a lovely turn-out there was for the late Robin Winders – a packed church and one of the nicest homilies I’ve ever heard delivered by our own Fr. Breen.
“Robin was one of the few men I knew who could work and drink at the same time!” said Fr. who refused to give ‘cheap advertising’ to a ‘well-known establishment’ nearby to which the deceased was a fond visitor. Over twenty five years ago, Robin was diagnosed with a life threatening illness; whilst sixty six seems terribly young by today’s standards, Robin overcame his illness and led a full, happy life to the end. Only the week before, he was flying around the ‘un-named establishment’, clearing up glasses and emptying ashtrays during the busy nights after Punchestown.

A talented boxer in his day, Robin once reputedly knocked out an army champion and of course, he was a well-known handball player with many doubles’ titles to his credit and enjoyed fishing and shooting. The Winders family is possibly one of the oldest families in the village with Peg and Billy Winders raising their brood of lads Robin, Cecil, Jim ‘Bumps’, Winkie, Paddy (sadly also deceased) and Pius at Broadleas where Robin resided until his death. Robin loved the craic and banter in the ‘un-named establishment’ and his many friends will toast a drink to him in years to come as Robin gazes down from the photo gallery therein. He will be remembered fondly as a man who enjoyed a bit of craic, had a keen sense of humour without being offensive and if his death was somewhat premature, it was blessedly quick and painless. God Bless to Robin on the next journey – the staff and punters of PMs will miss you. We extend our sympathy to his brothers and their families. May he rest in peace, amen.

George Devoy (94) late of St Vincent’s, Athy and formerly Tipperkevin and Red Bog, passed away recently. George was a great raconteur and had a good knowledge of local history. He spent his life working in the equestrian and farming business, having worked with Mick Nolan of Tipperkevin for many years and was a familiar sight on his motor bike around the area. We offer our sympathy to his family, may he rest in peace, amen.