The untimely death of the well known Brigid McKeagney (nee Hughes) was the cause of considerable regret throughout the Clogher Valley and County Fermanagh. The Belfast girl from the Old Park Road district had settled in Fivemiletown as the bride of Tom McKeagney, then head of Physical Education at St Mary's Irvinestown, and was a familiar face to her new neighbours who had watched her for the previous two years as one of the resident singers in the popular UTV 'Tea Time with Tommy' and 'Dear Tommy' shows.
Brigid's pleasant outgoing personality, combined with her ability to establish long lasting friendships, made her a very popular figure in the community. Although determined to devote herself to the task of creating a happy home for her husband and children, she was to find herself in great demand to provide solo performances at funerals and weddings. Many present at her funeral services were there to express gratitude for her contribution in easing the burden of those who had grieved, or whose wedding ceremony had been enhanced by her singing.
She participated in many cross-community activities in her local area, being one of the volunteers who helped establish a play group for Clogher Valley children. This eventually evolved into the Nursery School in Fivemiletown and she became a member of the board of Governors. She was also a member of the Women's Institute, serving two spells as its Chairperson, and was happy to entertain members at local and national social occasions. Her performance along with Murley Silver Band at the annual party for Fivemiletown's children became a regular Christmas feature of life in the district, and this generally concluded with a light-hearted duet with the popular Canon Riddell of St John's Church of Ireland. Her contribution to sacred music in the Diocese of Clogher through performances in St Macartan's Cathedral, Monaghan, participating in services for St Joseph's Young Priests and the preparation of her own choir in the Parish of Aughentain and Aghavea for Confirmation has also been acknowledged on several occasions.
When her children had reached secondary school level, she recorded her Reflections of Ireland album at Northsound Studios, Killeshill, Dungannon. This portrayed her wide range of vocal skills and displayed a most innovative treatment of several traditional Irish melodies. It also contained one of her own compositions. Most of the tracks were played on radio stations throughout the island of Ireland, with several also featuring on a number of US programmes.
Brigid returned to full time work in Naturelle, Omagh, after which she joined the staff of the new BT call centre in Enniskillen. She secured further promotion to its Belfast headquarters in Lanyon Place as PA to one of the directors. This was an admirable arrangement for her family as her husband had taken early retirement from his position as Principal of St Mary's Primary School, Fivemiletown and most of her children had graduated from university and lived there.
After taking a retirement package form BT, she took up a position with Invest N I, where she remained until the onset of the illness which would result in her death. During this final period of her life, she made strenuous efforts to prepare for her son's wedding in July last, which coincided with her own fortieth wedding anniversary. Shortly afterwards, however, she suffered a deterioration in health. This was borne with great courage and resignation, her final days being spent in comfort at home surrounded by her caring family.
Shortly before her death she requested that no mournful hymns be played at her funeral. Celebratory music at her requiem mass in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Ormeau Road, Belfast was provided by her daughter Kathy's school choir from St Kieran's Primary School, Poleglass, directed by Irvinestown musicians, Cormac and Fergal O'Kane, with Karen Kirby as soloist. The celebrant was the Reverent Peter O'Kane.
Many of Brigid's former neighbours, friends and work colleagues from Enniskillen turned out in great numbers for the Rite of Committal in St Mary's Church, Fivemiletown, directed by the Reverent Denis Dolan PP, later in the afternoon. The attendance was boosted by many of her husband's football associates from his playing days with the Augher Gaelic Football Club and the period spent as a player and later in management with the Tyrone County Football side. Also present were members of Brookeborough GAA club for which her son Paul had played at underage level.
Brigid was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery, where hundreds of mourners queued for a very long time to pay their last respects. She is survived by her husband, Tom, her children, Kathy, Krystine, Ciara, Orla and Paul, two sons-in law, John Healy and Mark McNamee, daughter-in-law, Jenny, six grandchildren, and four surviving sisters. Maureen, the eldest sister in the family had predeceased her by three months.
Funeral arrangements were carried out by a family relation, W J O'Donnell, Portglenone.
