Mrs Rosaleen Fitzsimons

THE death of Rosaleen Fitzsimons has taken from Downpatrick one of its most popular and outstanding citizens. Widely known and much respected, she gave over three quarters of a century of unstinting commitment to her native county and her passing leaves a huge void in the lives of many people.

A woman of infectious personality, Rosaleen was born on November 21, 1926, in the townland of Ballynarry, Kilclief, the third youngest in a family of ten, to James and Agnes Denvir. She enjoyed a carefree and happy childhood growing up in the rural environment to which she was fiercely loyal.

Educated in Kilclief Primary School and the Commercial School in Downpatrick,  Rosaleen took up her first job as personal secretary to a local consultant, Mr Love, in the Downe Hospital.

A noted sportswoman throughout her life, Rosaleen had the distinction, along with her sisters Una and Angela, of representing Kilclief and then County Down on the camogie fields of Ireland, culminating in an appearance as wing back in the 1948 All-Ireland Senior final at Croke Park, when Down were beaten by the great Dublin team of the day.

She was a major part of the Kilclief camogie team, which annexed the Down Senior county titles between 1945 and 1952. 

Her prowess in GAA circles led to her meeting and marrying in 1953 the love of her life, Paddy Fitzsimons, a stalwart of the Downpatrick and County Down teams of the late 1940s and early 50s. They took up residence in Downpatrick where she remained all her life. The couple had four children and Rosaleen retired from work to oversee their early childhood and education.

When the children got older Rosaleen returned to be joint manager, along with the late Una O’Boyle, of the successful Downpatrick camogie team of the late 1960s and early 70s. She also returned to work in November 1966 as the secretary in St. John’s House nursing home, Pound Lane; a job that she cherished for the next 25 years.

Her competitiveness in sport never left her and after a spell competing at a high level in local badminton competitions she turned her hand to bowls.

An avid and active member of Owenbeg Bowling Club, Rosaleen went on to win every singles competition at local level in the club and on the local circuit on many occasions. This culminated in her annexing the coveted Down Recorder Sportswoman of the Year award in the early 1980s.

However, the highlight was still to come and in 2002 Rosaleen and her close friends, Philomena McKermit, Dolores Bohill and Liz Hanna, became Ulster and All Ireland Ladies Rinks champions. Her love of GAA never left her and she continued to travel to Dublin every September to watch the All-Ireland hurling final until illness in her twilight years prevented her from doing so. 

A deeply religious woman, Rosaleen had two brothers in the priesthood, Fr Bob and Fr Charlie, and she never forgot her duties to God. She was a daily mass attender all her adult life when it was possible for her to go.

She was a parish volunteer and every week for 20 years she logged by hand the Sunday contributions from the individual envelope Cathos collections into the parish logbook — a long and tedious task for which she asked no reward. 

The loss of her great love and husband, Paddy, in July 1989 at the age of 64 was a heart-breaking blow. It was the unbridled love she had for God, her children, grandchildren and later her great grandchildren which gave her the strength and courage to continue. She took enormous pleasure in enjoying their company, their stories and their antics throughout her later life. 

She bore her illness in the last two years of her life with great dignity and even on her death bed she insisted on saying goodbye to each one before finally closing her eyes for the last time, slipping quietly and peacefully away to her everlasting reward in heaven.

Sincere sympathy is expressed to her children Mary, Eamon, Roisin and Maurice, son-in-law Martin, daughters-in-law Martina and Laura, brother Kieran, sisters Maureen (Gilmore) and Una (Merrick), grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

May the green sward of her beloved County Down rest gently on her mortal remains. Mary Queen of the Gael, Pray for her.