Late ‘Lady Mayoress of Strabane’ honoured at Cricket Club

A LOVING tribute to one of Strabane Cricket Club’s most cherished members was recently unveiled in rememberance of her tireless support for the club over the years.

Mary Gillespie of Knockavoe Crescent, who passed away in March this year, had her long association with Strabane cricket memorialised with a bench and beautifully cultivated seating area erected in her honour.

Lovingly called by her family the ‘Lady Mayoress of Strabane’ due to her very sociable nature, Mrs Gillespie used to love sitting just outside the clubhouse on the Park Road watching the team play which, at one time, included her four sons.

Speaking of his mother, Mary’s son Michael said, “My mum was never one for cricket before she met my dad. Her family were all into horses, but once they met and fell in love, Mum shared Dad’s passion for the sport. When my brothers and I (John, Peter and Mark) came along, this only enhanced her love, running us to all our games which meant Mum watched cricket a lot.

“She would be down at the pitch every game she could and always sat in the same spot. Over the years, Mum has watched all four of us play for Strabane and Mark and Pater play for Ireland. She was present as Peter won his 100th cap in Cardiff and also travelled to Jamaica to see him represent his country in the World Cup. Mum was also one of the foremost ladies members, playing in the first-ever ladies game in the 1970s and was a member of the club’s tea committee. She then watched the next generation come through, overseeing two grandsons and two granddaughters play on the pitch; it’s fair to say she was the biggest supporter.” After Mrs Gillespie’s passing, her boys thought of doing something in her honour.

Michael continued, “A few prominent club members had passed away and we saw some lovely ornate benches were donated to the club in their honour. The family thought a similar idea would be good for Mum but, to be honest, a bench wouldn’t cut it. We got a picnic bench and made it up as best we could and decided that it would go in the spot where Mum liked to sit and watch. It was then suggested to the club that we would like to renovate the area and the club said yes. Simon McSparron did all the excellent work; attaching a fence-bench, adding in flowers and creating an area where people could go, sit and talk, and remember Mum.”

Michael concluded, ‘”It truly is a beautiful space; Mum would have loved it.”