A memorial mass will be held in Ballinakill on Saturday for Mary Francis McLaurin who left her native village to make a new life for herself in Australia over 30 years ago.
Only recent Mary returned to Ballinakill to visit her native village for the last time.
She came got to see her mother Eileen one last time and to meet up with family and old friends.
“She came home in July. It was her dying wish to see her family and our mother who is 92, even though she was very sick at the time,” Teresa said.
With the help and dedication of her husband Peter, she managed to make that final journey.
Certainly, Mary was a determined woman.
She met her future husband when he visited Ireland as part of a European trip, and they were introduced by a mutual friend.
“They kept in contact and then she went out (to Australia) for three months,” Teresa said.
“She was probably the only one in the village who went to Australia at the time,” she added.
Mary and Peter married shortly afterwards in 1981 and settled on a farm outside of Albury in New South Wales.
Later they moved to the city of Albury, which is between Sydney and Melbourne.
They had two daughters, Sinead and Angela, who also married two Irishmen.
Contact
Despite the long distance from her family and native village, Mary always kept in contact and travelled home regularly every two years.
Improvements in air travel and connections in recent years made it a less arduous journey than the one it was in early ‘80s.
Her family also had the opportunity to visit her over the years in Australia, which would eventually become her final resting place.
She passed away 3rd September at Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre after a courageously brave battle – surrounded by her loving husband Peter, daughters Sinead and Angela, grandchildren, mother-in-law Joan, sons-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Beloved daughter of the late Patrick Carroll and sister Brenda Bailey, nee Carroll, she is sadly missed by her dearest mother Eileen, sisters Lila Carroll, Roscrea, Eileen Dooley, Attanagh, Teresa Dunne, Ballinakill, nieces, nephews, brothers in law, cousins, extended family, friends and kind neighbours.
Memorial Mass will be celebrated for Mary in St. Brigid’s Church, Ballinakill, Co Laois on Saturday evening 7th October 2017 at 7pm.
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