Forty four years later

It was late spring, October 1898 when Catherine Mary Fitzgerald aged 32 celebrated her marriage to Francis John Smyth in the Marrabel Catholic Church.  This was just before the harvest season so Francis' parents Edward and Margaret along with his sister Elizabeth may have travelled the 25 miles (c. 38 km)from their home near Alma via Tarlee by  horse and buggy or perhaps they ventured further north towards Riverton where the eldest sister Catherine was now married to John Callery. We do not know if Francis' youngest sister Margaret attended the wedding as she had married James Byrne in January of 1898 and was living in distant Lameroo.

St Agnes Catholic Church, Marrabel

Catherine and Francis welcomed their first child Margaret Mary in 1899 followed by son Edward John in 1905. Catherine led an active life with farm and household chores, as well as church and local community events. As Francis was active in the Tarlee Hibernian group, Catherine was no doubt engaged in providing supper for the annual social evenings and Hibernian Balls.  She and Francis are listed as attending several such events both in Tarlee and Hamley Bridge.

After many long years at Alma and having rejoiced in seeing her son ordained as a priest, Catherine's life came to an end just before she and Francis would have celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary.  This obituary for Catherine was published in the Southern Cross newspaper in 1942.

DEATH OF MRS. F. J. SMYTH, 

ALMA.

Father Smyth, R.A.A.F., Bereaved.

ON the 5th inst. occurred the death of Mrs. F. J. Smyth, of Hillside, Alma, at the age of 76 years. The deceased lady, venerable and beloved throughout the countryside in which she lived, was wife and mother of rare excellence. The home which, with her husband (Mr. Francis J. Smyth), she established was a model Catholic home blessed in its generosity to God and to neighbor by the ordination to the priesthood of her only son—the Rev. Fr. E. J. Smyth, Chaplain to the R.A.A.F. in South Australia.

To the bereaved husband, to Miss Mary Smyth (daughter) and to the Rev. Fr. Smyth, respectful condolence is here extended.

His Grace the Archbishop attended the Requiem Mass (celebrated by Rev. Fr. E. J. Smyth) at Riverton, and the obsequies and funeral which took place to the Navan Cemetery. Present also were the V. Rev. Dean T. P. Davis, P.P., Kingswood; the Rev. Fr. D.' Sparkes, P.P., Manoora; the Rev. Fr. R. Farrelly, P.P., Hamley Bridge; the Rev. Fr. J. Whelan, P.P., Riverton; the Rev. Fr. T. J. Maloney, P.P., Kapunda; the Rev. Fr. P. J. Walsh, St. Peters; the Rev. Fr. V. Barry, Adm., Glenelg; the Rev. Fr. M. Dempsey, Thebarton; the Rev. Dr. M. F. Toal, D.D., P.P., Burra; Chaplain the Rev. Fr. W. Bustelli. 

May her soul rest in peace.

My father Edward John Horgan would have attended this funeral as he had lived close to this uncle and aunt for many years and was a close friend with their son his first cousin, Fr Eddie Smyth. 

The Smyth tombstone in Navan Cemetery

This post first appeared on earlieryears.blogspot.com by CRGalvin