Taoiseach pays house call to Mountbellew's most famous resident

By JACQUELINE HOGGE

ONE of Mountbellew's oldest citizens received a private audience with An Taoiseach Enda Kenny this week, when he took time out from his official schedule to visit her in her home. Mary Conroy will celebrate her 100th birthday in November and was keen to catch up with the Taoiseach, having been a close friend of his late mother Eithne when they both taught in the town in the 1940s. A Mayo flag greeted Mr Kenny at the front gate of Mary’s home on the Moylough Road, in reference to her Mulranny roots, with much of the conversation taken up with information exchanged on mutual Mayo acquaintances. With most of their conversation conducted as Gaeilge, Mary enquired after several of Mr Kenny’s family, including his wife Fionnuala and three children.[private] Mary taught at Mountbellew National School while Eithne Kenny (nee McGinley) taught home economics at the town’s VEC school from 1939 - 1942. Mr Kenny was in Mountbellew to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Coláiste an Chreagain, where he was presented with correspondence written by his late mother. “She is as bright as a button and was asking after many of my family from Castlebar, she really is a brilliant woman,â€Â said Mr Kenny. Local TD Paul Connaughton, who arranged the meeting, said Mary was probably the most famous woman in Mountbellew and it was only right that the Taoiseach meet her during his visit to the town. “She knows everyone and everyone knows her so I’m delighted An Taoiseach was able to make time to pay her a visit,â€Â he said. Joe Conroy said his mother was still active and enjoyed regular contact with the legions of children she had taught down through the years. “Every Christmas she tells us she’s got cards from the five continents and people regularly ring up to see how she’s getting on,â€Â he said. “She is up and about every day, she loves her sport and was up watching the French Open until the early hours of this morning, which explains why she was still in bed when Enda arrived. “She has wonderful neighbours who are very good to her as she lives here on her own still, with myself and my sisters taking it in turns to keep an eye on things.â€Â[/private]