Rita McKiernan Has Passed

Rita & her little kids…

o say that Rita McKiernan led a full life would be something of an understatement…

This Delgany Park girl packed theatre, choral singing, bowling, bridge and the Delgany ICA into her busy 93 years.

And that’s not to mention bringing up a family with her late husband, John.

Jumping back, Rita was born to Patrick and Mary O’Connor on Connolly Avenue, Inchicore on May 8th, 1927. After her schooling in Goldenbridge, Rita went to work for the Irish Sweep, but didn’t strike it lucky until she met Cavan man John McKiernan, the happy, loving couple getting married on August 17th, 1955.

Those early years together were spent in Harrow, Middlesex but, in 1962, John and Rita came to their senses and moved back to Ireland. But not before the arrival of Jim and Maureen, with Seán and Paul following once the family had settled in Foxrock. Sadly, Seán never made it to his third birthday, killed in a traffic accident on December 21st, 1964.

It was in 1990 that the McKiernan family realised that Foxrock just wasn’t posh enough for them, and so they moved to Delgany Park. Soon, they were embedded in the local community, through all that bridge, bowling and amateur dramatics, Rita also becoming a much-loved member of the Delgany ICA and The Holy Rosary Church Choir, as well as – bejiggers – qualifying as a Eucharistic Minister in the parish of Kilquade.

Sadly, John passed away in 2008, three years after Rita’s sister, Maureen, who had moved in beside the McKiernans in Delgany Park. Luckily, Rita had her three strapping children to help her through…

Having passed away on Tuesday, February 16th, Rita will be greatly missed by Maureen, Jimmy and Paul as well as their partners, Siobhan, Sonia and Malachy, along with grandchildren Sarah, Alan, Nicola, Aoife, Aoibhin, Sean, Sophie, Freya and Isobel, plus the extended family and many, many friends.

Safe travels, young Rita…