LAID to her final rest in Mt St Lawrence Cemetery on Thursday afternoon, Mrs Florence Lynch’s funeral mass was a loving and musical send off – appropriate to a publican whose bar was known for song.
Late of St Joseph Street where she managed the family bar Eric’s with her husband Eric, Mrs (Florrie) Lynch (79) had been waked at home in Emmet Place having finally lost her 25-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease in the early hours of Monday March 7, 2016.
Strewn with bouquets, the way was lit be a vigilant candle. All comers, her neighbours, friends, past customers, well-wishers, filed past her family of eight, their partners and grandchildren. The welcome was warm.
Florence and Eric Lynch were married for 59 years and were/ are eternal sweethearts. Mr Lynch (86) predeceased her by less than a year.
Both enjoyed excellent 24-hour care at home for most of their latter years and profound ill health, under the auspices of son Richard, of Limerick Chronicle, and siblings Adrienne, Michael, Michael Mc, Maeve, Eric, Richard, Paul and Ailish, with a professional medical team in support.
According to Richard, as well as Florence being a working mother and charity supporter, “She was a brilliant musician, a voracious reader of books and an expert in Tudor history”.
Celebrating her funeral mass in St Joseph’s Church, Fr John Harris underlined her values of kindness, hospitality, discretion, musicality and fun, being central to the community in a beautiful way.
Richard read from the Gospels as did Michael, with their brother Paul delivering the eulogy; another sibling, Ailish sang and St Joseph’s Choir was full in voice.
Suaimhneas síoraí dá h-anam uasal.
