Celebrant: Fr. Matthew McConville
Concelebrant: Fr. Gerry Powell P.P.

Lily was born on Easter Sunday, 15th April 1922 and was the first child of Mary Quinn and Johnny McCusker. She attended Gilford School where she excelled and was a model pupil. Though the headmaster personally visited her parents to encourage them to let her continue her education and fulfill her potential, it was not to be. At the age of 14 she started to work in the Star factory. In her twenties she met and married Tommy Moore of Shane Hill and they set up home together in the family home, which was to become their life-long home. Setting up home in the 1940's would not have been easy but Lily used to say that moving to Shane Hill was a step up in the world as she now had a pump at her front door!

When asked if she felt she had missed out in life because of her parents decision not to let her continue to study, she gave the familiar response - "it was not to be". She believed she would not have had the 12 children she and Tommy were so proud of, had she taken a different path. Her 12 children, 44 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren were a source of joy and comfort to her. Mothers know and love their children equally but, in very subtle ways, differently. The quiet of a mother in the face of much discussion bears witness to that love....."and Mary pondered all these things in her heart...." Even at 93, mum was still giving and being there for her family.

The Clare Chapel had a special place in her heart and was where her sister Jean and herself gave their services tirelessly in everything, from cleaning the chapel to singing in the choir.

Later in life she developed a passion for bowling and, thanks to her brother-in-law Frank chauffeuring her to and fro, she was able to play twice a week, keeping her active and allowing her to make many new friends.

Lily never really slowed down. Arriving at her door you'd be sure to smell the soda bread on the griddle and each new grandchild and great grandchild was sure of a specially knitted jumper or hat.

 The conversations you will have with yourselves will be many and varied, and a good place to start the pondering is to think of the task she had in realising 12 relationships, never mind 12 births. Her achievements will not be accounted for here today.... and they are not about your successes in life, though I'm sure she was very proud of you all. It's the service in her selflessness that summons our own conscience to asking important questions how we live today - the practice of her faith - and well,  you might say it was easier then but harder now - but was it? Like many of her generation, Lily had a strong and unwavering faith in God and a great devotion to Our Lady. The marks that are obvious to all people of faith is that they bear hardships and suffering with much dignity, forbearance and love. Lily's strong faith always shone through. A gentle and wise lady, maybe it is the case when you have 12 children; you stop wrestling with the detail and concentrate on the big picture - trying to get the best out of life.