Rose Kavanagh was a Bagenalstown legend
The late Rose Kavanagh
ROSE Kavanagh was a “legend, inspiration, an institution and lady”, mourners were told by her daughter Sandra at her requiem Mass last week.
The mother-of-six died on Saturday 26 July. She turned 91 years’ old last November.
In her eulogy, Rose’s daughter Sandra summed up what her mother meant to her children, grandchildren, in-laws, relatives and friends.
“We are all here to give Mam the send-off she deserved. To many, she was Rose by name and to us she was Rose by nature, as a condolence said. Growing up, Mam loved playing shop and she dreamed of having her own shop one day,” revealed Sandra.
She recounted how her mother started her first job in 1950 at the “tender age of 16” in Bagenalstown.
“Bagenalstown has been her home ever since. It’s here she bought her first shop. Then they moved to a bigger shop and house, and that’s where she lived and worked for the past 55 years. Two things she loved most were raising her family and running her shop. The shop was known for its homemade bread – each loaf had its owner’s name placed on it – and for its jams on Saturday. If what you were looking for wasn’t there, she would make sure to have it there when you next called.
“St Vincent de Paul got Mam to do Christmas hampers every year because she knew who would benefit most.
“Everyone who called in to Mammy got special attention; everyone felt special in her company. She had an empathy and warmth and a motherly vibe that spread far and wide. She had a wonderful listening ear and anything she was told remained in the strictest of confidence. She was great for advice and always knew what to do in any situation.
‘‘Mam had time for everyone and she always had a smile on her face, no matter what. Mam never judged. She was always great fun, quick witted, with the best sense of humour. Mam never had a bad word to say about anyone and would not let us say one either.
“Ruth, who has been a valued family member for many years, kept the shop going for Mam (since Rose became ill). We are all so very grateful – it meant a lot to Mammy and a lot to us.” Sandra explained that Rose was unusual for a woman of her generation as she worked all her life until she was 91 ‒ more than 75 years.
“Her shop was her life. I’ve never known anyone who loved her customers so much. Mammy and Daddy were a great team. They never had a bad word about each other. They both worked so hard. Their annual holiday was to the Galway Races, which they loved. Mam always loved horseracing and was a life-long supporter of the local horse trainers. How fitting that this is the Galway Races week.
“Of course, we wanted her to be around forever and there was never going to be a right time to let her go. Now that time has come. The town will never be the same again without you. We are beyond grateful for all the treasured memories we shared. It’s been an absolute pleasure,” an emotional Sandra said.
A photograph of Rose adorned her oak coffin, which was carried into St Andrew’s Church, Bagenalstown for her funeral Mass on Wednesday 30 July.
Parish priest Fr Declan Foley in his homily said that those close to her wanted to “celebrate Rose’s life and mark the vacant space she has left not only in the hearts of her family but in the community as well. Over her long life, she was a blessing to so many.”
Fr Foley continued: “Born in Bracknagh, Co Offaly, Rose came down here to Bagenalstown back in 1950 as a 16-year-old to start work in Madden’s shop in Kilree Street, beginning 75 years as a shopkeeper in our town; indeed, serving generations of people.
“Many people look forward to retirement, I suppose, at the end of a working life, but there was no such thing as retirement for Rose. She was available right up to recent times, being hospitable, being warm and caring and being very much appreciated as well.
‘‘It’s only at a funeral Mass that we really come to appreciate, and our hearts are full of gratitude for someone who was so much part of our lives over such a long period of time giving of a service, I suppose, that very often can be taken for granted. She has been such a pillar of the community for such a long, long time.”
Those in St Andrew’s heard that Rose married her husband Michael back in 1964. Mike was from Myshall and the couple lived on the Royal Oak Road originally and moved to High Street, where they raised six children and Rose ran her shop.
“Her kindness to customers and her sensitivity to their needs was, indeed, legendary. Everybody recognised her as a very gentle, very caring lady who always had time for a chat. People would say that ‘going into Rose (in the shop) was no problem but when you might come out of it was a different story altogether’,” Fr Foley noted.
“She certainly had endless time for everybody that went into her. As well as that, she was there for so long, she very much had her finger on the pulse of those in need and what was really going on in the community. She very much had an open heart to those struggling. Very often and quietly, she responded in her own way and, maybe, directed the St Vincent de Paul to those who needed greater support.”
She was also a great fundraiser for the BEAM services here in town, which looked after those with special needs.
“If you look at the condolences on rip.ie as well, you will see words such as ‘pillar of the community’, ‘a real lady’, ‘nice and sincere’ and ‘always had time for a chat’. Interestingly, a number of salespeople who would have visited her down through the years left with more of a step in their feet than when they were going in with the encouragement and support she gave them, as well recognising someone who was a beautiful lady,” Fr Foley said.
“We thank God for her life and the blessing she was in the community.” Fr Foley welcomed symbols of Rose’s life to the altar, which represented her character, and included a photo of Rose in her shop, a relic of St Anthony, her Rosary beads, an magazine and a programme for the Galway Races, of which she was a great fan.
In tribute to Rose, a rendition of Harold Arlen’s was performed by soloist and pianist, her granddaughter Maeve.
Rose was predeceased by her husband Michael and son Michael. Rose will be deeply missed by her children Jim, Mary, Paul, John and Sandra, her daughter-in-law Monica, sons-in-law Michael and Nick, Paul’s partner Alli and her grandchildren Eve, Shona, Rachel, Paul, Conor, Maeve and Rose.
‘Rose will also be greatly missed by Ruth, her siblings, nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours, customers, friends and all who knew her,’ her death notice read.
Rose was laid to rest following the funeral Mass in the Cemetery of the Assumption.
