Kitty Walsh was a devoted wife and mother and her death is the ‘end of an era’

She enjoyed perfect health, had rarely been in hospital during her long-life journey and her health only deteriorated a few days before Christmas. She passed away peacefully in her family home in the company of her loving children.

Born Catherine Quigley on June 22, 1931, Kitty was the eldest daughter of Dan and Jane Quigley (nee O'Leary) of Enniscorthy, and was the second child in a family of five. She spent her early years around The Still and moved to Greenville Lane with her family, aged 12. She attended school in the Presentation. On leaving school at the age of 14, she worked in various households as a domestic and child-minder.

She met Pat Walsh of Coolteigue, Bree and in 1954 they moved, with their young family to Knockduff, where they lived happily, going on to raise a family of seven.

She was a stay-at-home wife and mother, taking great pride in her home and garden. She loved to knit, and the various family generations all benefited from her jumpers and baby cardigans. She knitted hats for premature babies which were given to Wexford Hospital and every year she had a consignment of baby cardigans ready for transport to Belarus by Andy and Joan Cloke, with their charity 'Chernobyl Child Aid.

She was a strong supporter of events in Bree Community Centre, was a regular at bingo sessions in Bree and Clonroche and took great enjoyment playing Telly Bingo up to her final days, loved attendance at Bree Active Retirement Group meetings, catching up with her friends and travelling on their outings. Her faith was important to her and she attended weekly Mass for as long as her health allowed her, and tuning into South East Radio on Sunday mornings.

At home, she kept her mind sharp doing her Wordsearch. She enjoyed visits from her neighbours and phone calls with family and friends, but family visits became what she looked forward to most, inevitably asking as they bid her goodbye, when she would see them again! She was proud of each and everyone of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandson, delighting in all their achievements.

Kitty will be lovingly remembered by her sisters: Lizzie and Mary and her brother-in-law Pat. She is predeceased by her brothers Tommy and Michael.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband Pat, who died in June 2019 and will be greatly missed by her children: Phil, Dan, John, Mary, Michael, Brigid and Catherine, her daughters-in-law: Brighid, Margo, Mag and Chris, her sons-in-law: Willie and John, her grandchildren: Claire, Linda, John Paul, Brendan, Deirdre, Patricia, Sinead, Adam, Susan and Amy, her great-grandchildren: Megan, Jessica, Harper, Christopher, Evan, Eve, Shannon, Emily, Lee, Amy, Conor, Abbie, Ryley and Ada, her great-great-grandson: Christopher, along with her extended family, relatives and friends. Rest in Peace.

Very Rev. Michael Byrne, Parish Priest of Bree, always provided spiritual assistance to the family, which is much appreciated, and read the final prayers at the removal of remains to Bree Parish Church. Very Rev. Jim Nolan, Parish Priest of Davidstown, presided at Requiem Mass in the Church of the Assumption, Bree, and recited the graveside prayers in the New Cemetery where the deceased was laid to rest. There was a large and representative attendance, testimony to the popularity of the deceased and her loving family. R.I.P