Tributes to founder of Donegal Association in Sydney

THE death occurred after a short illness on Monday of Rose Doherty, Sydney, Australia and formerly from Barnes, Termon.
Mrs Doherty (83) passed away from alzheimers disease less than six months after the death of her husband John Joe who was from Ray, Manorcunningham.
Before travelling to Australia with John Joe in 1959 Rose McGarvey worked as a secretary for PJ McLaughlin Architects in Letterkenny. The couple married in 1961 and had five children James, John, Mick, Paul and Theresa. They have 10 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Rose was one of the key founders of the Donegal Association in Sydney and was involved for many years. She organised the annual Ball which sent a Sydney representative to the ‘Mary from Dungloe’ festival, amongst other things.
John Joe spent his working life with Qantas, Australia’s national airline, and often collected visitors from the airport including singer Daniel O’Donnell who would become a close personal family friend.
Rose enjoyed nothing better than showing Daniel and Majella the sites any time he was touring in Australia.
Daniel said that he was ‘devastated’ when he was told the sad news on Monday.
“Rose was the first person I met when I went to Austraila. She was at the airport in Sydney to meet me in 1992 and she’s been an ever present since. Paul (Rose’s son) had been in regular contact to let me know how his mother was keeping. I sent her a wee message at the end of February and can’t believe that she’s now gone. And so soon after John Joe too. It’s just too sad.
“Rose was an amazing woman and she’ll be sadly missed by us all. We used to have a barbeque at her home every time we were there and we all gathered to have a night with them. I loved them both. They were a great couple and I loved meeting them,” he said.
Rose and John Joe would always welcome the young visitors to Australia from Ireland, including this writer, helping them get started for their working holidays, firing up the barbecue and welcoming them into her home.
They were always someone’s cousin, son, nephew or niece and Rose didn’t need to know them but just always welcomed them.
A selfless soul, her family were first and foremost in every decision that she made and she had so much love to give.
Rose returned to work once her children were at school running a canteen at St Patrick’s Business College until she retired.
Rose and John Joe loved travelling back to Ireland to visit family and friends, especially to the Letterkenny Reunion, and the couple would spent much of their time calling in to see people who, many years earlier, had called in to see them in Sydney during their travels.
Predeceased by her brother John McGarvey (Philadelphia) and sister Anne Deligaris (Thessaloniki Greece) she is also survived by three sisters Mary Goggin Youghal Co Cork, Teresa Bradley Termon and Catherine Hird San Diego USA and two brothers Colm McGarvey Sydney and Finn McGarvey Glasgow.

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