ELLEN Maria Finnegan tragically passed away on the morning of Saturday, January 16, at her home in the Lower Square, Castlewellan, aged 18 years old.
Ellen was born on February 7, 1997, and was a blessing to Bartley and the late Nicola Finnegan. She was an only child, and the youngest of three grandchildren of the late Patrick and Rita Finnegan and one of the many grandchildren of the late Richard and Patsy Hall.
The close knit nature of the Finnegans meant that family was everything and Ellen, being the youngest, was right at the centre of it all. Ellen’s late mother Nicola (nee Hall) from Newcastle, fought a long battle with cancer before passing away on January 16, 2013, three years before to the death of her beautiful and vivacious daughter Ellen.
When Ellen was six weeks old, Nicola returned to work in Hugh J O’Boyle’s. Ellen quickly became part of the fabric of Wonder Years Nursery, across the Main Street from her daddy’s butcher’s shop; quickly adapting, she became part of the McKibben family, and remained so until her demise.
Ellen attended St Malachy’s Primary School, Castlewellan, and it was in these younger years she was to form friendships for life. She was renowned for the size of her school bag, which was almost bigger than her, and she was seen on many mornings dragging it across the street as her papa Finnegan had her by the hand.
She had a very competitive nature, winning many medals on sports day every year, and she took part in many cross country running events. Ellen was also selected to take part in the Speech and Drama Festival, where she received a diploma. Due to her personality, even at this young age, she was selected to take part in ‘School Around The Corner’ on UTV.
She achieved an A in her transfer test which earned her a place at the Assumption Grammar School in 2008, following in the footsteps of her mum Niki, her aunts and cousins who were all past pupils. She was full of enthusiasm and excitement for what the future was to hold.
Ellen revelled in school life at this level and was very proud to be an Assumption girl. It was during her time in Ballynahinch that she was to make her even larger circle of friends, all of whom adored her for her caring nature and ability to light up any room. Her teachers recognised how individual and special she was, attracted to her bubbly personality and her infectious smile.
In junior school she was selected for the Rising Stars Athletics Programme, and trained on many Saturday mornings at the Mary Peters track in Belfast. She inherited this keen interest in running from her father Bartley, who was a talented athlete in his day competing successfully in many running competitions all over Ireland from the age of 11. She was also involved in playing camogie, football and running in the school teams. In later years, she was a member of the School Formal Fundraising Committee, always eager to participate in anything to do with socialising.
Ellen joined the camogie team of Castlewellan GAC at the age of eight and picked up the technique very quickly to became one of their most valuable players. Ellen remained loyal to the team until the age of 15 when she would like people to believe academia took over, although many would disagree and say that’s when the partying started. Ellen loved socialising and showing off her ability to get on with anyone due to her laid back nature and humour.
By age 16 she had become a strikingly beautiful young woman, with features stolen directly from her mother and father, and her sassiness from her grandma Rita.
Much of Ellen’s childhood included the usual activities such as sport and music. She started horse riding at the age of four years and became a confident, fearless horse woman. Ellen loved to go to Tullymurray every Saturday morning, and became a member of the Pony Club, where she excelled.
Ellen was privileged to be given the opportunity to start skiing at the tender age of three years, winning medals at infant ski school, and she very quickly learned through sheer determination and once again shone at this sport. She was an accomplished and competent skier, a passion she shared with her dad.
Ellen joined Comhaltas and learned to play the drums for which she had a natural ability. She was very fortunate to have travelled to many countries across the world with Bartley and Niki, and experienced such activities as scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, elephant back riding in Thailand, riding a camel to the pyramids in Egypt, seeing the real Santa in Lapland and many more.
Ellen didn’t have a bucket list as she lived life to the full and relished every moment of her 18 years. However, she wanted to take a year out before going to university and become a ski instructor in Austria so that when she did start her third level education she would be in a position of throwing herself, heart and soul, into her course and achieve what she was capable of. She wanted to become a business woman, so that she would be her own boss — no one was going to tell her what to do.
She worked part time in the Percy French, at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa, and loved meeting and greeting the patrons, taking particular interest in looking after the elderly and less abled.
Ellen had a never ending supply of energy and happiness which baffled many of her friends, even prompting one young friend to ask: ‘Is there something wrong with Ellen? She’s always so happy.’ The truth was that Ellen had every reason in life to be happy, surrounded by a doting family, blessed with good looks, intelligence and the ability to see the positive side of any situation. She was quoted as saying to one of her friends: “I’ll be 18 forever!”
We're all thinking how sad it is that a girl of such talent, of such capability for kindness, of such beauty and intelligence, should now so suddenly be spirited away at the age of only 18, before she'd achieved many of the things of which she was capable. Although Ellen was with us a short time, she managed to make every one of those years count, packing in more than most achieve in a life-time.
Her funeral mass at 12 noon on Tuesday, January 19, was attended by many including her countless young friends, who did Ellen proud. Canon Sean Rogan officiated along with Father Sean Cahill, also Father Dave and Father Anthony who assisted at the Mass. Father Cahill, a family friend, delivered the eulogy in a candid manner. Ellen’s classmates from the Assumption Grammar School provided a guard of honour who were with Ellen every step of the way. Castlewellan GAC also did her proud as they lined the main street. Ellen’s final journey was notable by the many changes of coffin bearers, all eager to honour her memory. Following the funeral mass, interment was at the family plot in Aughlisnafin Cemetery. Thanks for the memories, the fun, the laughter, the love, and kindness.
I, IV, III - until we meet again. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pray for her, and may Ellen’s gentle soul rest in peace.
Ellen’s month’s mind mass will be held at 11am on Sunday, February 14, in St Malachy’s Church, Castlewellan.