RECENT NEWS STORIES
Tom Smith RIP
The death has taken place of Tom Smith,
Towneycorry, Drumkeeran.
Aged 92, Tom died in Our Lady’s Hospital, Manorhamilton on Friday, 6th September.
Born in July, 1921, Tom was the eldest of the two children of Tom and Kate Smith,
his
sister Annie being born in 1924.
His father died when Tom was only three years old.
As
a result, from his earliest days Tom would have had to work hard
on the family farm
in order to help his mother and his sister.
He attended school in Cartron
and when he reached the age of 14 he began to work with
the Council.
At 18 years of age he went to work in the Arigna mines.
In all, he worked
in the mines for 41 years, until he retired in 1980.
In October 1952 Tom married Catherine Agnes Smith,
a native of Kilronan parish.
They
had three sons, Tommy, Michael and Maurice.
Tom was a devoted family man who always
did his best
to make sure this wife and children were well provided for.
Over the years Tom maintained his interest in the family farm.
He enjoyed keeping
and looking after the few cattle.
He also did a little gardening, growing his own
vegetables etc.
Hunting was his great passion.
During the various hunting seasons Tom would be out
before dawn
in the hope of bagging a few pheasants or a few grouse.
Though in some ways a quiet man,
Tom also enjoyed going out to the local for the occasional
drink.
There he could meet and chat with his friends
and the occasion was made all
the more enjoyable
if there were a few people playing Irish traditional music.
He was also a man of great faith.
A man of prayer, he said his Rosary every night
and
he’d never miss his Sunday Mass.
He continued to attend Sunday Mass in Tarmon church
until he became ill in recent months.
It was that deep faith that helped him recover
from the sad death of his wife Katie in 1984.
Over the last few months his health declined
and he had to be admitted to Our Lady’s
Hospital, Manorhamilton.
It was there that he died on 6th September.
We extend our sympathy to his sons, Tommy, Michael and Maurice.
Tom’s funeral took place on Sunday, 8th September.
The Funeral Mass in Tarmon church
was celebrated by Fr John McTiernan, PP Dromahair.
After the Mass Tom was laid to rest in Curraghs Cemetery.