THE DEATH has occurred in south Galway of Mai Fahy (98), one of the last surviving members of Cumann na mBan and mother of Galway county councillor Michael "Stroke" Fahy.
Mrs Fahy is due to be buried tomorrow, but a request for full military honours has been turned down. A Defence Forces spokesman said Mrs Fahy's husband, the late John Fahy, was a member of the Old IRA and in receipt of a State pension. However, Mrs Fahy was not in receipt of a similar pension, and therefore could not qualify for a military funeral, the spokesman said.
Mrs Fahy's only child, Michael, was at her bedside when she passed away late on December 23rd in Merlin Park Hospital.
Cllr Fahy, who served an eight-month jail sentence last year, walked free from court earlier this month after a retrial of fraud charges against him found him guilty of one charge only.
Mrs Fahy (nee O'Dea) was born in Carron, Co Clare in 1910 and moved to Ardrahan, Co Galway,when she married John Fahy in 1949. She was an active member of Cumann na mBan.
When her son, Michael, joined Fianna Fáil and stood in local elections from 1979, she became involved in his campaign and also assisted with constituency work.
Both she and her son lived on the family's 70-acre farm after the death of John Fahy in 1985.
In September 2004 Cllr Fahy resigned from Fianna Fáil when it emerged that he was the councillor at the centre of a Garda investigation into a community scheme run by Galway County Council. He continued to serve as an independent councillor.
In February 2007 Cllr Fahy was convicted of seven charges in respect of the erection of more than a mile of fencing on his land. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison and fined €75,000.
The councillor voiced concern about the welfare of his mother during his imprisonment, as he was her sole carer. Shortly before his imprisonment, he was hospitalised with a cardiac condition. After recuperation, he was taken to Castlerea jail in Co Roscommon to serve his sentence.
He had served eight months when the Court of Criminal Appeal struck down the conviction and ordered a retrial. At the trial early this month two of the charges were withdrawn from the jury. Cllr Fahy was convicted of one charge of obtaining the benefit of €7,055 from Galway County Council by false pretences, and was sentenced to 12 months in prison and fined €30,000.
The final four months of prison was suspended, and the first part was deemed to have been served.
He is to appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal.
Mrs Fahy's removal will take place from her home in Caherduff, Ardrahan, this evening. She will be laid to rest in Labane Cemetery after 11am Mass tomorrow.
