It’s with great sadness and admiration for a truly gentle and caring woman that we record the death on May 14, 2017, peacefully after a long illness, borne with dignity, in the wonderful care of Marymount Hospice, of Anna Theresa O’Keeffe (nee Buckley), Ballylough, Mitchelstown, whom most of us knew as Ann!
Beloved and devoted wife of Ned, former Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State and loving mother of current Cork East TD Kevin and Cork county councillor Deirdre, Anna took to the role of political life with grace, dignity and respect for all and was a vital and efficient cog in the political machine that continues to play an important and powerful role in local and national government.
Visitors to Ballylough, whether government leaders or one of us, received a warm welcome and the best of hospitality from the lady of the house, with home baking often provided with the cuppa.
Anna was a caring and committed member of the local Ballindangan community, with the ICA and the community council benefitting enormously from her membership, advice, commitment and friendship. The Roman Catholic faith was paramount to the Christian and caring life of Anna O’Keeffe, who was a regular attendee at Mass, funerals and religious ceremonies.
Many public events and ceremonies were attended with the customary warmth and graciousness that were the hallmarks of Anna, impressing one and all in that quiet unassuming way, in good times and difficult ones.
Word of her illness was received with hopes and prayers that she would beat it. Sadly that was not to be, though again she gained admiration for how she dealt with the illness, without doubt our loss is heaven’s gain.
Anna was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister, friend and confidante to so many, who will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by all that had the pleasure of making her acquaintance, but most especially by her husband Ned, sons Pat, Kevin and Ciaran, daughters Deirdre (O’Brien) and Lorraine, grandchildren Daniel, Tom, Conor, Cian, Anna and John, sisters Ailis (Buckley) and Helen (Dunne), daughters-in-law Veronica (English) and Barbara (Byrne), son-in-law Dominic O’Brien, Kevin’s partner Pam Galvin, sisters-in-law Breeda (Allen), Eileen (Harrington), Kathleen (O’Flynn) and Mary (O’Neill), brothers-in-law Michael O’Keeffe, David O’Donnell and Michael Dunne, nephews, nieces and extended family, to whom we extend sincere sympathy.
Following requiem Mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Ballindangan on Wednesday (May 17), Anna was laid to rest in St Dominic’s Cemetery, Glanworth. Ar dheis De go raibh a h-anam dilis.
