Swimming accident victim remembered for her kindness, patience and friendship

Máire Murray, from Croghan Road, Carrick-on-Shannon, who died after getting into difficulty while swimming in County Donegal last week, was remembered at her funeral mass today as a beloved sister and friend who was endlessly patient and kind, a lovely colleague, interested in people's lives and a great teacher to all.

She could have been a writer or a satirist but then the world of medicine of medicine would not have benefited, the congregation heard.

Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Harold's Cross Dublin, Rev Alex Conlan said it had been a long and difficult week for the family as Ms Murray’s brother Tomás in the USA had also lost his wife Sylvia who is due to be buried next week. “Death has hit you hard in the last eight months,” he said as he remembered Ms Murray’s mother Nancy who had passed away last December.

Ms Murray who was in her 50s passed away after getting into difficulties swimming off the coast of Glencolmcille. She had just finished a week long Irish language course at the Oideas Gael college and had been a regular visitor to the area over the past 20 years. Mr Stephen Curran was thanked for his courage and selflessness for his attempt at trying to rescue Ms Murray on the tragic day of her death along with the coastguard service, the staff of Sligo University Hospital and gardaí both in Killybegs and Rathmines.

Ms Murray’s sister Kate gave an eulogy stating: “We had an idyllic childhood growing up with great friends and neighbours on the Croghan road in Carrick-on-Shannon on the Roscommon side of the town, and this engendered Máire’s lifelong interest in following the Rossies. In her handwritten diary, along with the dates of birthdays of family, friends, godchildren and gigs, she'd also marked important Roscommon games not to be missed.” 

She said her sister had spent the last 23 years as the chief pharmacist at Saint Michael's Hospital in Dun Laoghaire, “where she was extraordinarily happy.”

 “She had great colleagues, great friends at Saint Michaels, and we as a family have been greatly heartened and consoled by the memories that they have shared about her time in the hospital. She was, we are told, a lovely colleague, patient, kind and interested in people's lives and a great teacher to all and always putting the patient first.” 

She added, “There was nothing that did not interest her, music, films, politics, sport, photography, travel, nature and wildlife.” 

She recalled how her sister loved to travel first going on an Interrail trip after graduation and then visiting South East Asia, Canada, Jordan, and China and lived her life long dream of travelling to Galapagos Islands with Kate.

She said that Máire had spent the last day of her life with friends which brought great comfort to the family. She said this was a hard tragedy to bear but thanked everyone for the support they had shown the family.

Following the funeral mass Ms Murray’s remains were brought to Mount Jerome crematorium.