Ballyshannon nonagenarian described as "a man of great faith and deep love" 

There was deep sadness in south Donegal following the funeral this week of Lauri MacMahon late of Station House, Donegal Road, Ballyshannon, who was one of the Erne Town's most respected and older citizens.

Deceased who was born in 1932, died peacefully at Sligo University Hospital on January 26, 2023.

Lauri was described as "a man of great faith and deep love". 

He was born to parents Hugh and Rosaleen MacMahon on Station Road where his father was the Station master of the old Great Northern Railway station . 

He was baptised Patrick Anthony in the year of 1932, the Year of the Eucharistic Congress, which was held in Ireland.

The name Lauri came about as a result of the Papal Nuncio who represented the Pope at the Congress, which was held that year in Ireland, Cardinal Lorenzo Lauri.

When the new baby was to be baptised the good Mercy Sisters advised his parents that he be called Lauri, as part of his name, a name that he was to be called for the rest of his life.

He attended the local Scoil Cathriona before crossing the Rover Erne over to the De La Salle, later attending St. Eunan's College in Letterkenny. 

His working life began with his Uncle, who had an electrical shop in Donegal Town. 

Then, at the age of 18 years, he began working with the Electrical Supply Board (ESB), which was the supplier of much work in the Erne Town in those years.

That work with the ESB took him to Buncrana, Mayo and Sligo but he was based mostly in the north of the county.

Eventually, he was to return to work back with his Uncle in Donegal Town, because he wanted to extend his business and that saw Lauri moving into refrigeration business, which he dedicated the rest of his working life to.

Lauri then opened up his business in Ballyshannon on the Donegal Road.

He then met his life long partner Mary O'Donnell who lived near Letterkenny and worked at the local Letterkenny Hospital.

He spent the next four years travelling up and down through Barnesmore Gap, in the days when such trips, "were sore on the tyres and very expensive on the petrol".

Mary then joined Lauri and she moved to Ballyshannon after they got married in 1962 and in total they would spend a total of 64 years together. 

Lauri was to retire at the age of 65 and that led to 25 enjoyable years as a retiree, but he was not one to sit down and "see the world pass him by", Fr Cathal O'Fearraí P.P. said at his funeral Mass on Monday.

With his very personal and pleasant disposition, always pleasant and sociable and interested in the people of his home town and the community of Ballyshannon.

"Although a quiet and unassuming man, who didn't like any fuss, he was indeed a great neighbour and a great friend to many."

During his retirement years with Mary, they travelled to many parts of the world including Malta, Spai, Portugal and Canada.

With a keen interest in both reading and history, "very much one of his passions", Lauri was particularly interested in the Railways and WW2, both of which had been aspects of his earlier life, growing up in south Donegal.

That invariably led to a deep knowledge and appreciation of the local history of the area, which Fr O'Fearrí hoped would be passed on and recorded as "so much of that history is going with them".

He enjoyed watching the soccer and was a great walker, as was evidenced by the many times he would be spotted out on a walk with his beloved Mary, be it Rossnowlagh or Rougey.   

"Lauri wore the years of his life well, he was always fresh and sprightly . . . was very futuristic. He embraced, of course, all the new technologies and moved on with the times. He was very young at heart, embracing all the new technologies, having his own desktop computer very early on, and wanted to learn how to use and what to do with the new technology".

Describing how Lauri might prefer one establishment over another could depend, how good their WiFi was.

"He certainly moved with the times, " Fr O'Fearraí remarked. 

Funeral of the late Patrick Joseph (P.J.) O'Connell, Ballyshannon - retired county engineer

His command of the computer was such that Lauri was teaching his grandchildren how to use it and for his 90th birthday an apple watch and iphone were his birthday gifts.   

Lauri's passing is deeply regretted by his devoted wife Mary (née O'Donnell) and he will be sorely missed by his sons Michael and Kenneth, daughters Caroline, and Ursula, son in-law Tim, daughters In-law Jackie and Mel, grandchildren Ellen, Ros, Bobby, Charlotte, and Abi, sisters Eithne, Eimer, and Joan, nephews, nieces, and the extended MacMahon and O'Donnell families, to whom deepest sympathy is extended.

Requiem mass in Saint Patrick's Church, Ballyshannon on Monday was followed by private cremation at Lakelands Crematorium, Cavan.