Mary Harty ‘fought the good fight’, mourners told

Motor neurone disease may have taken over the life of a well-known Limerick public representative but it never took away her spirit, mourners at her funeral heard yesterday.

Former cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council Mary Harty died this week, a few days after hosting a charity fundraiser at her home in aid of motor neurone disease research.

Hundreds of mourners packed Nicker Church in Co Limerick for the funeral of Ms Harty (54), a former primary school teacher. She was first elected for Fine Gael to the county council in 1999 and retained her seat until she retired earlier this year due to her illness.

In his homily, chief celebrant Fr Pat Burns paid tribute to her enormous courage, kindness and dignity.

Ice bucket challenge

Up to 60 people attended an ice bucket challenge in her home at Corelish West in Pallasgreen last week, one of the many fundraisers she had organised.

“For someone to organise that eight or nine days before God called them – that gesture, that generosity, in a way sums up Mary Harty,” Fr Burns said.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and the Taoiseach’s aide de camp Comdt Kieran Carey were among the mourners. Other current and former TDs and councillors also attended.

Fr Burns said the day was about Ms Harty’s family and read quotes from her brother Eamon.

“She was a mother to all her nieces and nephews and grandnephews. She was the ‘go to’ person if you needed advice. She was a rock to every single one of us. She scolded us, cajoled us and advised us and it’s a measure of her that all her carers became her friends,” Mr Harty wrote.

Fr Burns told mourners she had “fought the good fight to the end” and lived each day to the full despite what motor neurone disease was doing to her.

Lives touched

Among the symbols of her life brought to the altar was a piece of bog oak from the parents’ association of Nicker National School in recognition of the number of lives she touched during her 30 years of teaching.

A certificate of appreciation she received from Limerick County Council recognising her 15 years of service to public life was also placed on the altar.