Family woman Lily had a strong sense of community

Her family, neighbours and many friends in Carlow and district were deeply saddened to learn of the death on Sunday 23 December at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Carlow of Elizabeth (Lily) Kinsella, Oakley Park, Graiguecullen. Lily, who celebrated her 89th birthday in August, was the former Lily Carter and the last surviving member in a family of 11 children. The Carters lived on the town's Staplestown Road.

For the past seven years, Lily had been hospitalised, first in Bethany House for three years and in the Sacred Heart Hospital for the final four years of her life. She was widow of Billy Kinsella, originally from Granby Row, Carlow, who was employed in Thomas Thompson's steelwork at Hanover throughout his working life. The Kinsellas lived in Granby Row up to the mid-1970s when they moved to Oakley Park, Graiguecullen. Billy passed away in October 2004.

The couple married in January 1948. having met a number of years earlier at a dance in Carlow. Billy and Lily were noted ballroom dancers and one of the mementos of Lily's life brought to the altar during her funeral Mass in St Clare's Church, Graiguecullen was a photograph taken in The Ritz Ballroom, Charlotte Street in 1944 of the couple as they danced. Billy was attired in his LDF uniform in the photograph.

Lily worked in the launderette in Barrack Street, Carlow for a long number of years, along with her great friend, the late Nancy Nolan, a Kerry native who came to reside at The Numbers in Graiguecullen. She also worked at The Royal Hotel, Dublin Street. Lily Kinsella was well known for her involvement in a number of local organisations, being a woman with a strong sense of community. She was a voluntary helper at the O'Brien Centre on Dublin Road and, along with Nancy, was greatly involved in organising the very popular 'Crazy Nights' at the Workman's Club in Browne Street.
One anecdote from Lily's life is worth recording and typified the spirit of the woman. At the age of 75, she lined out for Graiguecullen in a ladies' football match in Fr Maher Park. During the game. Lily was struck by the ball, leading to concussion, and she ended up in A&E at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny. That brought an end to Lily's football career!
Lily had only one sibling living in the Cariow area - her sister Eileen Collins, JKL Avenue, who predeceased her. Before she was hospitalised. Lily was chauffeured every day by her daughter Marie O'Rourke from her Graiguecullen home to JKL to visit Eileen, where she stayed from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. This was a daily routine that was set in stone and demonstrated the great sense of family love that existed between the sisters. Should Marie be unavailable, she would have to engage a substitute driver.
Lily was waked in Carpenter's Funeral Home, Graiguecullen before removal to St Clare's Church on St Stephen's Day for her funeral Mass, which was celebrated by Fr John Dunphy, PP, Graiguecullen-Killeshin. A teddy bear - Lily loved cuddly toys - and a painting of hers from her activity days at the Sacred Heart Hospital were brought forward as significant symbols of her life. Readings at Mass and Prayers of the Faithful were by Lily's grandchildren, while her great-grandchildren also brought forward the Offertory gifts.
At the end of Mass, Lily's son Sam, in a brief eulogy, paid tribute to the life of his mother and had particular words of praise for the staff at both Bethany House and the Sacred Heart Hospital for the wonderful care shown towards Lily over the past seven years. Afterwards, she was laid to rest with husband Billy in St Mary's Cemetery, with Fr Dunphy reciting the final prayers at the graveside.

Lily is survived by her children Pat (Oakley Park, Graiguecullen), Sam (Chapelstown Gate, Cariow), Marie O'Rourke (Oakley Park, Graiguecullen) and Colette Dillon (Oakley Park, Graiguecullen), by her 13 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, nephews, nieces, other relatives, good neighbours and many friends. Lily Kinsella's Month's Mind Mass will be celebrated in St Clare's Church, Graiguecullen on Saturday 26 January at 6.30pm.

Courtesy of The Carlow Nationalist. Tweet

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