Communities mourn the loss of ‘loyal and dedicated’ teacher

TRIBUTES have been paid following the untimely passing of respected Ballymagorry woman, Sinead McHugh (née Dooher) after an illness.

She was just 52 years old.

A long-standing member of staff at Our Lady and St Patrick’s College in Belfast, Mrs McHugh came from a prominent GAA family in north Tyrone. Her sister, Roisin Shanks, is the Club Tyrone treasurer, and her father, Johnny Dooher, is a former chair of Owen Roe O’Neill’s.

At her Requiem Mass, held yesterday (Wednesday) at St Therese of Lisieux in Belfast Fr Michael Spence said that Mrs McHugh was a dedicated and committed mother to her three children, Daire, Ruairi, and Aoibhe, and was part of a loving marriage to her husband, Gary, whom she had been with for 31 years.

“According to her family, Sinead was outspoken and stubborn, and if there was an All-Ireland medal for being thran, she would’ve won it,” said Fr Spence.

“She loved those closest to her and was a loyal person. She was the oldest of her siblings and a leader and a doting and generous aunt.”

He added, “She was part of a great parenting team with Gary, and she was a completely committed mother who had tremendous patience and time for her children. She was going to write a letter to her children, but her death came quicker than expected, but Gary said he knew what she would say to them: ‘Be kind to each other, always be ambitious, and always look out for one another.’”

Tyrone GAA also published a tribute to Mrs McHugh, stating that, “Gaelic Tyrone is deeply distressed to learn of the death of Sinead McHugh (née Dooher), dear sister of our cherished, enduring Club Tyrone treasurer Roisin (Shanks), and dear daughter of Johnny and Gabrielle, hugely influential generational presences within and across Tyrone GAA.

“Sinead’s cruel illness was taken on resolutely, in the full spirit of a family who contribute so much to what we are and what we try to do.”

Her funeral was followed by interment at St Mary’s Cemetery, Cloughcor.