Watergrasshill lost one of its oldest citizens on Tuesday with the death of Hanna Browne (nee Lane) who was in her 101st year.
Hanna was born on the January 22, 1918 in the village of Kilmorna near Listowel in Co Kerry. She went on to train as a teacher and taught in Dublin for a few years before returning home to Kerry to care for her mother who was ill.
It was during this time at home that she met her future husband Garda PJ Browne in the village of Newtownsands, which is now known as Moyvane.
They eventually married and PJ was first stationed in Barrack Street in Cork before he was transferred to Watergrasshill and it was there at Main Street they set up home where Hannah lived for seventy years.
Hanna was the mother of four children – Cora (Cronin), Eileen (Guyot), Patricia (Peters) and Joan (Stokes) and was the grandmother of nine grandchildren.
She had many hobbies and particularly loved gardening and always grew her own vegetables in her back garden. She was even still growing lettuce at the age of 90. Music was also one of her many passions and she used to play the piano and the violin.
The Avondhu had the privilege of interviewing Hanna on the occasion of her 100th birthday in January where she shared many stories and advice from her interesting life.
Her remains will be received into the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Watergrasshill at 12.45 pm on this Thursday and following Requiem Mass at 2.00pm, burial will take place in Holy Rosary Cemetery, Midleton.
Sympathy is extended to her family, relatives and friends. RIP.
