Passing of award winning Tipperary café founder
The death has taken place of an inspirational woman who was central to the establishment of an award-winning café and tearoom in Loughmore.
Maeve O’Hair (née Nesbitt) was a co-founder of The Cottage, Louhmore, a delightful little eatery set in the north Tipperary village that was established in 2012.
The idea for the highly successful enterprise was hatched by Maeve and another local woman Mary Fogarty, who set about providing a new retail outlet in their community after the last shop in the village closed down.
With the help of the community, the two women opened the tearoom, which proved a success from the start and went on to win Best Café and Teashop in the State in a competition organised by the Irish Times in 2014.
Maeve and Mary came up with their plan while helping with the washing up at a local funeral. The pair lamented the fact that the village no longer had a local shop. For eight years, if you wanted to buy a pint of milk or a newspaper, you had to make the three-mile journey to Templemore, the nearest town.
By the time they'd finished the drying up, Maeve and Mary decided to set up the co-operative shop and tearoom, inspired by the champion of the cooperative movement, Sir Horace Plunkett, the English-born son of Lord Donsany.
THE COTTAGE
Maeve suggested they use an ancient cottage belonging to her sister. The 900-strong community backed the proposal by buying shares in the venture. The pair also got funding from North Tipperary County Council on condition that they raised 20 per cent of the money themselves. Both women took out loans to get the idea off the ground, and the venture was such a success that it attracted many visitors from all over the country and received very favourable reviews in local and national media.
Reacting to the news of Maeve’s death, The Cottage Loughmore stated on its Facebook page: “It is with heavy hearts and the deepest sadness that we advise of the death of our dear friend and colleague Maeve O'Hair, RIP. Maeve was one of the Co-Founders of Loughmore Community Co-operative Society Ltd in 2012 and worked tirelessly with us here at The Cottage to build it up and make it the success it is today.
“She was so proud of all our achievements and successes. Maeve made an impact on everyone she met - always smiling, welcoming, and so interested in people. She bore her illness so bravely, never complaining and thinking of others to the end. There will be a void in our lives, but the happy memories will never fade!”
As a mark of respect, The Cottage was closed on Tuesday of this week.
HEARTBREAKING SADNESS
Maeve’s family in a post on social media said it was with heartbreaking sadness that they had to report her death. “We’re sure that all her Facebook friends will have known her love of life, whether it was founding The Cottage Loughmore with Mary Fogarty, creating poetry films, giving reflexology, growing salad and heritage apples, puppetry and so many other contributions to make the world a better place.
Most of all she showered love on all those close to her. We will all miss her terribly.”
Friends and associates took to social media in large numbers to pay tribute. One woman said Maeve was one of a kind who “made the world a brighter place always”.
Another commented: “She touched all our lives”, while someone else said she was “an inspiration to us all”.
Another woman wrote: “Maeve was a force of nature, a powerful beautiful kind woman and always listened and advised in equal measure and her smile would light up every room she entered, she will be dearly missed.”
Keith Hopper, posting on behalf of the Writing & Literature Programme at ATU Sligo, wrote: “I would like to express our sincere condolences to all Maeve’s family and friends. Maeve was a genuinely lovely woman, and she faced her illness with such bravery. It was a great honour to have been one of Maeve’s teachers - she really was an inspiration for staff and students alike. When Maeve graduated last year, it was a very joyful moment. She will be greatly missed.”
Maeve who lived at Rocker, Loughmore, died on Sunday last, March 24.
She is predeceased by her husband John O’Hair, mother Flo and father Michael. Her passing is deeply regretted by her beloved daughter Béibhinn and beloved son Rory, companion Peter, sisters Aoife, Fionnuala, Emer, Dympna, Bronagh and Rosemary, brothers Mel, Ultan and Fergal, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
A large number of mourners attended Maeve’s Reposal at her residence on Monday last and her Requiem Mass at the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady Loughmore on Tuesday. Interment took place afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.