Funeral of Marie Byrne

1934 - 2018

FUNERAL MASS 24TH fDEBRUARY 2018

We gather here today in sadness with the family of Marie Byrne. Our thoughts are for you. We ask God to send his Consoler to bring his peace to your hearts and to your homes. We give thanks to God for the life that he gave Marie and to pray in faith that he will welcome
her to everlasting happiness in heaven. There is as the Scriptures remind us, a time for every season under heaven. As we gather here we reflect on the mystery of time and providence that are in God's hands: there is indeed a time to die, a time to weep, a time to mourn, a time to keep silence, a time to speak, a time to love.
You have shared memories of who she was and what she meant to you. We mourn her passing; we cherish her memory Marie was born in Banbridge Hospital on 7th April 1943 to Michael and Ruby Byrne; the ldest of 6 children. Marie was reared in Chapel Row and attended Bann Primary School.During her childhood, Marie and her brothers and sisters enjoyed picking blackberries – more were eaten than were brought home! Marie left school at the age of 14 and began her working life in Hazelbank Factory in Laurencetown. When the factory closed, she moved to
the Optical in Lurgan and finished her working life in Gilford Mill. At 16, Marie met her beloved Eamon at a dance in the Bosco, Laurencetown and they married on 5th March 1962 in Laurencetown Chapel. Eamon and Marie set up home at The Rock, Tullylish and their eldest son Michael was born one year later. Four years later, Marie gave birth to Brenda. The Byrne family then moved to Castleview in Gilford where their youngest son Martin was born. In 1976 Marie, Eamon and family moved to Churchview, Laurencetown where they lived for 30 years. Unfortunately, due to ill health, Marie and Eamon moved to Banbridge 12 years ago. Marie was her happiest when surrounded by her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She enjoyed telling them old yarns from her childhood and was often heard to quote: "when I was a child'. Marie had many hobbies but was best known for her love of shopping. When returning from a shopping trip, she often told Eamon a wee white lie, that
everything was 'half price'. Eamon often commented that he 'hadn't seen that before' to which Marie replied, 'O that old thing, sure I've had that for months.' Marie enjoyed nothing better than a game of bingo and another hobby was embroidery. Many examples of this are displayed in her home, which she kept like a palace. Marie also enjoyed holidaying in the South of Ireland and one of her favourite spots was Killarney where she loved to visit Kate Kearney's cottage. Stopping at Knock on the way home was a ritual, Marie had a very strong faith which helped her through illness. One of her favourite TV programmes was Mrs. Brown's Boys and as Mrs. Brown says It's the mammy that holds everything together'. Marie will be sorely missed by the entire family circle.
Above all you have remembered the humanity of a good person. Today as we gather in sorrow to remember Marie, a burden of pain, a burden of loss, a burden of grief weighs heavily on you all. We gather as a community - our presence here today is our way of reaching out to you.
– she was a rock. God knows the reality of failing health – which she endured throughout her time of illness. We remember a lovely person, a lady who was a treasure to you all. Letting go of her today is not going to be easy for Marie was a lover of family, people and life itself. Thank you to all who cared for her and loved her in life especially in her final years. Now her suffering is over. As Marie has died now a part of you dies as well. You are filled with sorrow because her death leaves a gap that no-one else can fill adequately. A mother's love is a great blessing. When we remember her today we cannot help recalling the things she said and the way she said them, the things she did and her way of doing them but sadness is
tinged with hope and expectation. We pray that she is with the Lord and we look forward to the day when we will be reunited with her. Christ's resurrection assures us that if we follow him we will rise again. It is only with death that life really makes sense, it's our leap into eternity, it is God calling us home to be with him forever. At a time like this we come face to face with our own mortality. She brought love, care and friendship to those who knew her. Always faithful to her Church, prayer and fidelity to the mass and the sacraments were second nature to her. She died on
Wednesday after her strength could no longer meet the challenge of life.
With the entire parish community, I would like to extend our heartfelt sympathy to her loving husband Eamon, daughter Brenda, sons Martin and Michael, grandchildren and great grandchildren, sisters Ann, Margaret and Monica, brothers Joe and Mick and entire family circle.