Death of Mayo woman who was noted for her kindness and generosity
A long, fruitful and incredibly industrious life has ended with the death of Philomena (Phil) McHugh, The Grove, Bunnacurry, Achill.
Phil, who celebrated her 92nd birthday last month, passed away some days ago in the care of her loving and devoted family.
Phil began her working life as an assistant in Dugort Post Office.
Later she worked in Britain before returning home to assist her parents, Patrick and Anne Doran, on the family farm at The Valley, Achill.
Phil was always very enterprising, running a family shop, a mobile shop van, driving the local school bus for both primary and secondary schools as well as managing holiday rentals in Achill.
“She was destined to be in business”, recalls a relative.
After marrying Peadar McHugh, a native of Bullsmouth, the couple bought Grove House in Bunnacurry and turned it into a B+B, a task not for the fainthearted due to the size and layout of the building.
Peadar was an electrician. With the advent of electricity he wired many homes in Achill, Inishbiggle island and Ballycroy.
He also worked as a cinema operator bringing films such as ‘The Quiet Man’ to far flung audiences who otherwise might never have enjoyed them.
In the boom years of Achill tourism in the 1960s and 1970s, Phil and Peadar sold a variety of souvenirs to visitors from near and far.
Truth be told, Phil, who was generous to a fault, actually gave away more ornaments than she sold.
In the early 1970s Phil and Peadar bought an old caravan which they converted into a shop selling ice-cream, souvenirs and buckets and spades to the hordes of visitors.
For decades the caravan was a landmark along the road through mid-Achill to Keel.
Phil, Peadar and the caravan were immortalised by the poet Paul Durcan in a poem ‘The Bunnacurry Scurry’ where he made reference to Phil and how, one Sunday, he bought the last Sunday Times in Achill there.
In 1995, Phil was awarded the Murphy’s Irish Stout ‘Ambassador for Tourism Award’ as a result of her tireless work and intervention in assisting a visiting English tourist, Ron Finch in tracing his ancestors.
Phil and Peadar were featured on TV with Marty Whelan on that occasion.
Phil is survived by Peadar, daughters Katherine and Nora, son, Patrick, son-in-law Michael, daughter-in-law Anna, sisters, Kathleen and Nora Ann (London), sister-in-law Josephine (Chester), grandchildren Shane, Shane’s wife Patricia, grandchildren, Siofra, Oisin, Darragh and Roisin, great-grandchildren Adam and Conor, nieces and nephews, relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends, to whom sympathy is tendered.
Remains will repose at Lavelle’s Funeral Home, Cashel, Achill, tomorrow (Tuesday, September 12) from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by removal to St. Joseph’s Church, Bunnacurry. Funeral Mass on Wednesday at 11 a.m. followed by burial in Bunnacurry Cemetery.
May Phil’s gentle soul rest in peace.