Proud Maureen was the cornerstone of her family
By Hayden Moore
MAUREEN Sheridan has been remembered as the “cornerstone of her family” following her death, mere weeks after celebrating turning 100 and getting the Covid-19 vaccine.
A resident in TLC Centre in Citywest, Maureen was an “immensely strong woman” who after contracting Covid-19 in May of last year, beat it in time for her milestone birthday.
Maureen Sheridan
But sadly, days after getting her first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, Maureen passed away.
“Maureen was after turning 100, she was grand on her birthday and two days later she got the Covid vaccine,” said Martin Salmon, Maureen’s son-in-law who lives in Tallaght.
“She didn’t get Covid-19 but she deteriorated rapidly in the days after getting the vaccine, she seriously went downhill and died from pneumonia a few days later.
“It’s particularly hard for my wife Noeleen and my daughter Lisa because they were very close with Maureen, they were like the holy trinity.
“I was with her on the Tuesday and I knew she was very bad.
“Noeleen had barely seen her because she has a few conditions and she has to be careful, but I was organising for her to go up and see Maureen the next day because we knew she didn’t have long.
Maureen featured in The Echo last month celebrating her 100th birthday
“We didn’t get that chance unfortunately.”
Maureen died in the early hours of Wednesday, February 3 of complications from pneumonia.
Due to government advice regarding public gatherings, a small family funeral was held last Saturday in St Thomas the Apostle Church in Jobstown before she was laid to rest in Glasnevin Cemetery – in the same plot as her late husband Joseph and daughter Patricia.
At her core, Maureen was a family woman and she undertook the role as head of the family after her own mother died.
“Maureen absolutely loved her family,” Martin tells The Echo.
“She had a lot of heartache in her life, burying her husband, daughter.
“Her mother was 69/70 when she died, she was the matriarch of the family and Maureen sort of took over as the matriarch then.
“She was the cornerstone of her family; she took care of everyone and was very generous – she’d even give you her last Rolo.
“She was just that sort of woman.”
The 100-year-old had a “mad sweet tooth”, often opting to munch on some chocolate or a slice of cake before dinner.
Martin remembers Maureen as a “very strong independent woman” who lived in her one-bedroom flat on Merrion Road up until five-years-ago – when she left for the TLC Centre.
Loving afternoon tea in Wynne’s Hotel and a tipple in Flanagans Bar and Restaurant on O’Connell Street with her friends, Maureen would also often embark on adventures around Ireland.
The Coolock native loved to dress in glamourous garb, prized herself on getting her hair done every week and dancing to Sonny Knowles-era music.
Maureen had two children, Noeleen and Patricia, who sadly passed-away at the age of 36, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Described as a “true Dub”, Maureen was the last surviving member of her family having outlived her three brothers and sister.
Her brothers Shay and Seán Gibbons were well accomplished in their respective fields, with the former scoring 108 goals in 115 games for St Patrick’s Athletic and representing Ireland while the latter played gaelic football for Dublin in the 1940s.
Patriotic in her nature, Maureen would watch “Ireland compete in any sport”, snooker and the Boys in Blue tog out in front of Hill 16 every week.
Throughout her life, Maureen worked with Smurfit Print and Dublin Airport as a cleaner before working as home help until she retired 30-years-ago.
Maureen leaves behind her daughter Noeleen, son-in-law Martin, grandchildren Lisa and Sean, sister-in-law, great grandchildren, nephews, nieces and will also be sorely missed by the staff in the TLC Centre, where she had resided for several years.
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