Maeve with her family. Sarah, Pearce Jr, Ellen, Pearce Sr, Ross and Amy.

Maeve ‘gave her life to St Paul’s’

Maeve Corroon has retired after 14 years as sacristan of St Paul’s Church in Mullingar.

Maeve "gave her life" to St Paul’s Church during her 14-year tenure, according to a local priest.

The much respected Mullingar native recently retired from the role of sacristan at St Paul’s, an occasion marked with a function in Mullingar Parish Centre on the evening of Thursday July 25. Among those in attendance, along with members of Maeve’s family and her many friends in the parish, were Bishop of Meath Tom Deenihan; Dr Michael Smith, Bishop Emeritus of Meath; and other local members of the clergy, past and present, including Fr Phil Gaffney, Fr Michael Kilmartin, and Fr Norman Allred.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner the day after the function, Fr Phil Gaffney paid tribute to Maeve for her years of service to the parish of Mullingar.

"Maeve took tremendous pride in her work and her attention to detail was second to none. She trained the altar servers and looked after everything as sacristan. She was superb and will be sorely missed. She gave her life to it and the reception last night was testimony to her and her work.

"So many people came to just say thanks to her and show their appreciation for all she did.

"She was sacristan for 14 years and before she was the choir director and a singer for 12 years.

Twenty six years of her life have been given to St Paul’s. She gave one hundred per cent with everything she did. She had her list of duties which she meticulously adhered to at all times.

"She was a huge support to the priests of the parish. The reality is that when we went up there [on the altar], everything was prepared and you could depend on her for your life.

"St Paul’s was her second home. She was so well known and so helpful and supportive to everyone. It was nice to have the opportunity to say thanks to her, show our appreciation and to wish her well."

Maeve’s replacement as the sacristan of St Paul’s Church is Millie Walsh, who retired from his Maxol Service Station last Tuesday.