The late Margaret Hogan – a kind and humble person

The passing on Wednesday, March 29, of Mullingar woman Margaret Hogan, Dún Maree, Clonmore, and late of Glasgow, Scotland, came as a shock to the many people who knew her in the community.

Margaret died peacefully, following a brief illness, with her loving family by her side, at Portiuncula Nursing Home, Multyfarnham.

A devout Christian, Margaret was a daily Mass goer and was very dedicated to Our Lady, praying The Rosary each day for her own intentions. Together with her husband Dick, she was a familiar face at early morning Mass in the Cathedral of Christ The King, Mullingar.

Margaret certainly left a legacy: she was remembered as someone very special, a larger than life personality and a woman who inspired and accompanied many in their faith. She touched so many people’s lives with her prayers and good works. She was a woman of prayer and a pillar of faith every day of her life and when she met Dick all those years ago (they were 56 years married), it seemed more than just a coincidence. Divine inspiration, perhaps. They were two very devoted Christians and lived a great and rewarding life together, raising a family in Mullingar. There was an extraordinary level of unity between them, Margaret being from Scotland and Dick from Kilkenny. They settled in Mullingar and Dick worked with the Westmeath Examiner in his early years in the town before becoming a founding member and editor of Topic Newspapers in 1971.

Composing inspirational hymns was one of Margaret’s interests. She sang them beautifully and would share those songs as voice notes with people who were interested. She taught her family and many others to be good Christians. She was deeply rooted and founded in the love of Christ and she had a great devotion to Our Lady.

Margaret was a full-time homemaker and all the family were well catered for. She was perpetual motion, always busy, and home cooking was her forte. She was a woman who had strong family values, which she passed on to her children and grandchildren. Together with Dick, they were a model couple, a terrific Catholic family.

Margaret was a caring mother and adoring grandmother and even though ill in recent weeks, she embraced it and remained calm, choosing to remain close to her beloved family.

Throughout her life and during her many decades in Mullingar, she was a person of quiet disposition. Margaret had a caring heart and prayed for people always. She was pleasant, gentle, humble, kind and generous, and she has left a great example for others to follow.

Margaret’s Funeral Mass, a celebration of her life in which family members participated, took place last Saturday in The Cathedral of Christ The King, with burial afterwards to in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Marlinstown, Mullingar.

She is survived by her beloved husband Dick (Topic Newspapers); loving family, Damien, Maria (O’Shea), Richard, Canice and Pauline. Margaret will be lovingly remembered by her son-in-law Ian, daughters-in-law Virag and Carolyn; adored grandchildren Sean, Catherine, Joseph, Maria, Ann, Agnes, Killian, Kevin, Daniel, Richie, Oliver, Hannah and Eleanor; great-grandchild Evelyn; sister Anne-Marie (O’Rourke); brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Solas na bhflaitheas uirthi.