Picture: Eamonn Keogh
The death has occurred in Killarney of Sheila Teahan who was a wonderful ambassador for the local tourism industry for close on half a century during which time she spearheaded the front of house team at the Lake Hotel.
A native of Oureigh in Sneem, she attended school with the Mercy Sisters in Carrick-on-Suir and she commenced employment at the Lake Hotel in Killarney in 1956.
She remained there until her retirement in 2004, after a 48-year career, during which time she established a great reputation for her wonderful work ethic, organisational skills and dedication to the task at hand.
Image source: RIP.ie
She always had a warm welcome and a great rapport with holidaymakers and local customers and she was very often the first person to greet them when they walked through the door or to bid them farewell on departure.
Sheila managed the hotel bookings and accounts system so efficiently in the days before computers and she ran the front office with almost military precision, such was her great attention to detail.
In the early days she worked closely with the hotel’s owner, Hilda Huggard and, later, with her nephews Tony, Niall, Colman and Joe Huggard, who continue to run the busy family hotel.
Sheila knew so many customers on first-name terms and she experienced great changes which occurred over the years, including the ending of the boat service on the lake and the jaunting car drivers who brought guests to and from the hotel.
In 2014, Sheila shared many of her memories of hotel life with historian and archivist, the late Maurice O’Keeffe, and his wife Jane, who compiled a fascinating oral history of the Kerry hospitality industry at a gathering at the Parknasilla Resort Hotel.
A woman of great faith and a regular at services in St Mary’s Cathedral, Sheila lived in Woodlawn but returned to her native Sneem on a very regular basis.
Predeceased by her parents Timothy and Abina and brother John Teahan, Sheila is survived by her sister Kathleen Nolan, brother-in-law Tom Nolan, sister-in-law Mary Teahan, her nieces Maire Keane, Suzanne Teahan, Karina Murphy, Emer Casey, Annmarie Nolan, Geraldine Nolan, Therese Nolan, nephews Gerard Teahan, John Teahan (Jnr), Brendan Teahan, Brian Nolan, Michael Nolan, grandnieces and grandnephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.
Reposing at O’Shea’s Funeral Home, Killarney this Friday, from 3.00pm to 5.30pm, will be followed by removal to St Michael’s Church, Sneem arriving at 7.00pm.
The Requiem Mass will take place on Saturday at 12 noon followed by burial afterwards in Sneem, overlooking the picturesque village she loved.
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