Beloved tábhairneoir Niamh Kinnane whose love of life and community left a lasting legacy

The village of Upperchurch came together today to mourn the loss and commemorate the life of Niamh Kinnane, a much-loved local woman described as having a “spirit larger than life”, a tribute paid by her great family friend Fr James Purcell.

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Niamh was the tábhairneoir of Kinnane’s Pub and Restaurant, Upperchurch Village. Her Funeral Mass took place today, Thursday, January 8th, at 1pm in the Sacred Heart Church, Upperchurch.

Niamh, who was deeply woven into the social fabric and community life of the village through her role in hospitality, passed away peacefully in the loving care of the staff of Nenagh Hospital. She was predeceased by her parents Paddy Kinnane and Kathleen (née Shanahan), and her brother-in-law Jimmy Butler.

She is deeply loved and sadly missed by her sister Siobhán Butler, her nephew Fergal Butler, niece-in-law Eavan Fogarty, her grandniece and grandnephew Maisie and Andy, along with her many close and wonderful friends, relatives and neighbours.

Following the Funeral Mass, Niamh was laid to rest in the local cemetery. The Mass in the Sacred Heart Church, Upperchurch, was said by chief celebrant Fr James Purcell, joined by Fr Tony Ryan, Fr Dick Browne, Fr Tom Breen and Fr Pat O’Gorman.

John Gerard O’Dwyer, renowned Tipperary author and journalist, delivered a eulogy in which he spoke of Niamh’s “profound love of life.”

“She was full of life, and I first got to know her when she was secretary of County Tipperary Macra na Feirme, which was absolutely huge at the time,” he recalled. “She was a hugely efficient secretary—no matter what came up on the floor, she had the answers, and there was much respect for her. She had massive leadership abilities and like all great leaders, she was able to take people where they wanted to go.”

“Now Niamh did not have the benefit or a third level education but she always said she had really because she was Macra trained. That was her university.”

John Gerard O’Dwyer added: “She was part of the great drive forward of Macra na Feirme in the 70s in Ireland, where they brought education, training and outlets to young people across Ireland that all our forefathers could never even have dreamed of.”

O’Dwyer stated: “She is what I would call a force of nature, and if you rang Niamh, things would move.” He also highlighted her key role in Upperchurch’s development projects down through the years, saying she had a huge community group of people behind her—the people of Upperchurch—who together left a lasting legacy of local projects including the village’s musical heritage through the famed Ned of the Hill festival, which once brought acts such as Shane MacGowan who headlined the festival.

Among the projects Niamh was involved in were: sheltered housing for older people in the area, a climbing wall, a creche, the bog walk, three lovely looped walks in the hills, and later, the Ned of the Hill festival, was eventually replaced by a walking festival.

“Upperchurch became a template for how community development should be done,” he added.

John also spoke about Niamh’s love of history, genealogy and tracing family roots. When Americans visited Kinnane’s Pub, Niamh would always be able to find a connection to their ancestry, and they would leave delighted with the hospitality she extended.

In his eulogy, he also mentioned Niamh’s great love of the Irish language, noting that she was a Gaelgeoir, like her father Paddy before her. 

In his closing remarks, John Gerard O’Dwyer reflected that, in the end, Niamh lived by the Irish saying: “Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine” — it is in the shelter of each other that people achieve.

Paddy Butler, speaking on behalf of the family, thanked the parish, neighbours, friends, the wider Upperchurch community, and the medical staff who cared for Niamh. He also wished Upperchurch GAA the best of luck in the All-Ireland Intermediate final on Saturday, and spoke of how Niamh had been so looking forward to the homecoming and the bonfires blazing.

Niamh Kinnane was the beating heart of Upperchurch, a woman whose energy, warmth, and generosity brought people together and left a lasting mark on everyone she met.

Go lonraí solas síoraí uirthi

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