R - Comhaltas Archive

L\ House of Musicand Happinesshe death of Mary Kelly ofMoone, Co. Kildare on 5th~ November 1998 at the age ofeighty-one caused a great sadness andloss particularly to her family and to thecommunity at large and much fartherafield among her many friends andamong lovers of traditional music.Mary was pre-deceased some years ageby her husband Owen, a very popularand well known traditional fiddleplayer in the area, who gavegenerously of his time to pass on hislove and store of music to youngaspiring musicians. Both Mary andOwen were founder members in 1965of the loca l Moone Branch of CCE,known as the Sean Dempsey Branch.The branch has continued to this daywith Mary, until the time of her illenss,playing an active and important part atvarious times filling the positions ofSecretary Treasurer and Chairperson.Mary was well known and is fondlyremembered by those she met andhelped at many traditional musicsessions all over Leinster.Mary, along with her friends Jack andMarie Dowling, two surviving foundermembers of the Branch were presentedwith CCE certificates some years ago,in recognition of their long and loyalservice to Comhaltas.Kelly's house will be remembered bymany people as a house filled withmusic, happiness and friendliness. Thewarmth of its welcome added by itslarge open blazing winter fires. It wasthere, for many years that people wentafter the local monthly sessions in theSportsman Inn. Locals found themselvesenjoying the ceol agus craic with peoplefrom all parts of Ireland and sometimesfrom England, America, New Zealand18and Australia, as the entries in the 'Bookof Welcomes' at the door will testify. Nomatter how numerous the visitors, theywere all treated to a cupan tae (orsomething stronger) and Mary's famouscurrant cake, of which there was alwaysan endless supply at odd times of theday or night. All kinds of people wouldcall in when passing to enjoy a fewhours of music, song and story.Mary's contribution to the workings ofComhaltas at County Board level wasimmense. At Fleadhanna and Ceol anCheimhridh Mary would always ensurethat there was a full representation fromthe branch . Her prowess at fund-raisingwas renowned, with her charm and witno one could refuse to contribute, andnot just to Comhaltas, and otherorganisations dear to her heart alsobenefitted from her trojan work.Mary was a delegate to County Boardfor many years and her contributionwas always worthwhile, particularly inthe early '70s when Comhaltas wasbeing established in Kildare.She is sadly missed, not least by herfamily, but by all her friends and fellowlovers of traditional music, song anddance. We hope that Mary has foundtrue contentment in that great Kingdomand we feel sure that she is walkingbeside us all as we strive to continuethe aims and objects of CCE which sheheld so dear to her heart.Some time after Owen's death Marymoved into a new Bungalow with herdaughter Alice and son-in-law 'Ned, onlya few yards behind the old homestead.The stones from the walls of the oldhouse are now surrounding the gardenof the new one, and we would like tothink that they will stay as a reminderto those of us who pass, that they areguarding the customs and traditionsassociated with that piece of ground.Mary had two grand-daughters, Ann­Marie and Martina in whom sheencouraged 'a love of all thingstraditional. Mary was very proud of thegirls and in a fitting tribute to theirbeloved grandmother, Anne-Marieplayed the tin whistle and Martina sangat her Requiem mass. It is hoped theywill carry on the tradition.The Moone Branch and Kildare CountyBoard of CCE offers its deepestsympathy to her daughter Alice and sonJim, brothers Ned, John and Eugene,son-in-law Ned, daughter-in-law Anne,grandchildren and great grand-daughter.Mfcheal 6 Dubhlaich, Moone, cctBreeda Cul/en-Shortt, Kildare, Co. Board