Mary McCourt

The death of Mary McCourt of Dunaldron, Monaghan, in the early hours of Friday 11 February at St Mary's Hospital, Castleblayney, has caused great sorrow for her grieving husband Patsy and all her family. Mary is also greatly mourned by the republican community throughout County Monaghan and beyond.

Mary McCourt was a deeply committed republican and throughout all her years played an activist role in the cause of a free and united Ireland. On Sunday, following Requiem Mass in St Macartan's Cathedral her Tricolour draped coffin, accompanied by a Sinn Féin Guard of Honour, was carried the entire journey from the Cathedral to her final resting place at Latlurcan's Calvary Cemetery. A black flag flew over the Sinn Féin office in the town's Dublin Street.

At the graveside Monaghan town Sinn Féin Councillor Pádraigín Uí Mhurchadha led the attendance in a decade of the rosary in Irish. Her colleague, the Town Council Cathaoirleach, Seán Conlon, presided and wreaths were laid on behalf of Sinn Féin and the Republican Movement in County Monaghan. The oration was delivered by Dáil Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, following which a ballad was sung by Bernadette O'Hagan, a long time friend and neighbour at Dunaldron and now living in Lurgan, County Armagh.

We carry below an edited version of Deputy Ó Caoláin's graveside tribute.

"Mary Bridget McCaffrey was born on 25 March 1920, in the same week that Tomás McCurtáin, the Sinn Féin Mayor of Cork, was assassinated by British forces. A native of Urbleshanny, she was a proud Scotstown woman and rightly so. Mary worked in housekeeping roles in the Monaghan Town area up to and following her marriage to Patsy in 1953. Mary has been a resident at Dunaldron in all the years since, moving into the McCourt family home shortly after their marriage. She and Patsy shared in the chores of farming in the years that followed.

Patsy and Mary had their share of grief and setbacks in their lives together. The loss of their little son Joseph, shortly after his birth in 1954, was a grievous blow. Those close to them will know the toll that that loss took of them both and throughout the years that followed.

They paid a continuous price for their shared republican beliefs. Garda raids on their home and land, closed opportunities and the hardships of putting the needs of struggle first and before personal consideration, all contributed to a difficult and frugal lifestyle. Mary had however a short break to herself in January 1983 when Patsy went off to Mountjoy for his part in a 1981 anti H-Block protest. Mary enjoyed the scéal from that short episode in Patsy's long and colourful story.

Mary had little of life's modern comforts. This reality was compensated in some measure by the affection and appreciation of many whom Mary often referred to as "her boys", several of whom are among our number here today. Mary's home and kitchen were open to all who shared her love and dedication to the cause of a free and united Ireland.

Founding members of the Feargal O'Hanlon Cumann of Sinn Féin in Monaghan Town in 1957, both Patsy and Mary have remained active participants in all the years since, only Mary's developing ill-health and hospitalisation breaking an unbroken record of service that had already spanned over four decades. In two years time, God willing, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the re-formation of that Monaghan Town cumann and that special anniversary of Feargal O'Hanlon's death.

Mary and Patsy were also initial subscribers to and keen supporters of the new Monaghan office of Sinn Féin, established in 1984. Mary was a regular through the doors over the years since.

Mary went through so much — two amputations to add to all that she had borne in life. But it is her smile, the warmth of her greeting, that will be our abiding memory of Mary.

James Connolly's last words to his daughter Nora were: 'Don't be disappointed. We will rise again.' Mary McCourt's last words to each of us would surely be: 'Don't be disappointed - we are a risen people'.

For Mary and for all who have given so much we re-affirm this day our determination to achieve the dream of Mary's heart, a united and independent Ireland where the people of Ireland are sovereign. I urge you all, young and old, to remember always that change can only be achieved through the committed activism of ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges. Mary McCourt was one of the great people to take up that challenge in our community."

I measc laochra na hÉireann go raibh sí.