IT gives the term ‘gone to the pub’ a whole new significance.
And it was more a case of cheerio than cheers when one Irish-American woman was brought to her final resting place.
Proud of her Irish roots, Carole O’Connor Brown was a US tour guide who loved nothing more than bringing groups of Americans to Killarney.
And, like thousands of visitors and locals, The Laurels pub on Main Street was her favorite port of call.
In a report published on the Irish Central news site this week, it emerged that when Carole passed away in 2000, her sister, Maureen O’Connor Purcell, travelled to Ireland to sprinkle Carole’s ashes at some of her favourite locations and an approach was made to The Laurels owner Con O’Leary.
Always the perfect host, Con was happy to oblige and some of Carole’s ashes have remained in the landmark pub for the past 15 years.
Maureen said they are contained in a small, closed pot on a shelf behind the bar with Carole’s picture on the bottom and a map of Ireland on top.
Maureen is planning to return to Killarney in a matter of weeks – her first visit since Carole’s death – and a call to her sister’s final resting place to raise a glass to her memory is top of her agenda.
“She adored Ireland and her ashes are sprinkled all over in her favorite spots, but The Laurels is where we formally laid her to rest,” Maureen told Irish Central.
