Moving tributes paid to a charismatic leader as former Tipperary TD is laid to rest

The people of Clonmel bade a sad farewell to the late Carrie Acheson, a much-loved figure who made a massive contribution to the business, political and community life of the town and county, last Thursday morning.

The first female TD to be elected to Dáil Éireann from the Tipperary South constituency and former Mayor of Clonmel was laid to rest at St Patrick’s Cemetery following Requiem Mass at St Mary’s Church.

The funeral service was attended by a huge crowd which reflected the esteem in which she was held by the people of Clonmel, business leaders, politicians and the farming community.
Fr Billy Meehan, chief celebrant of the Requiem Mass, described Carrie as an iconic figure in Clonmel and told mourners that Carrie represented the very essence of a leader.

“She was a charismatic leader, a very committed person who did what she could for the Clonmel community,” Fr Meehan told mourners.

Fr Meehan told the mourners that Carrie Acheson had a deep appreciation of the importance of farming to the functioning of the country.

He spoke of Carrie’s work ethos and the lengths she would go to while working in Barlo Farm Machinery to ensure that farmers were able to do their work.
“No matter what time of the day or night a farmer rang, Carrie would be on the job and the farmer would have the part he needed, some way or another,” said Fr Meehan.
He spoke of the passion and enthusiasm Carrie had throughout her life for the Clonmel Show, Tullamore Show and the National Ploughing Championships.

Fr Meehan described Carrie Acheson as a great person for the community who worked tirelessly for the people of Clonmel in her roles as a member of Clonmel Corporation and Tipperary South County Council.
She was, said Fr Meehan, always looking out for people who fell on hard times.
Fr Meehan said Carrie was proud to serve as Mayor of Clonmel and she made history in 1981 when she was elected to Dáil Éireann and her sister Tras was elected to the Senate. They were the first set of sisters to be elected to the Oireachtas at the same time.

She was a woman who had no fear of taking on daunting challenges, said Fr Meehan. He pointed to the work Carrie did to take the Irish Red Cross “off its knees” by raising funds that transformed that organisation in her role as President of the Irish Red Cross.

Fr Meehan said Carrie played a crucial role in ensuring families of men who died in the War of Independence were able to pay for tombstones or for the burials of their loved ones as a result of funds she raised to help them.
Fr Meehan said that, first and foremost, Carrie Acheson was a family woman.
She moved away from the Dáil to concentrate on her family
Fr Meehan said Carrie will live on in the memories of all the people that were involved with her life.

“These memories of Carrie will never die,” said Fr Meehan whose co-celebrants on the day included Fr Brendan Crowley,Fr Brendan Duggan, Fr Paddy Pierse and Fr Frawley.

Carrie’s son Brian thanked everybody who had attended the funeral services and all of the people who had got in touch to express their sympathy since Carrie had passed away.
He paid tribute to all of the medical people who supported Carrie since she suffered a stroke fourteen years ago, including all those who cared for her in the final days at Tipperary University Hospital.

Brian, in a moving tribute to his mother, said growing up he always thought that his mother was invincible.
“Carrie was a character, a leader and a legend in this town,” said Brian.
She was part of the Barlow family that played a significant role in shaping the town of Clonmel by providing employment and ensuring the customer always came first.

Throughout her life, said Brian, Carrie was ensuring the ethos that she was brought up with was evident in her every day life. That ethos meant you were doing your job by looking after the people that work for you and looking after the people you were working for.”
She was a ‘”hands on person” said Brian and he told mourners where she was when her husband Hugh died.
“Dad died when he was out chasing bullocks. Carrie was with him chasing bullocks. That was the way she was, it was hands on to get things done,” said Brian.

He said his mother cared and listened to the people of Clonmel and worked tirelessly to help them.
She was a thoughtful person who used cards to communicate to people in a beautiful and personal way to show appreciation or admiration for an act of kindness.

SPECIAL BOND
He said the special bond he shared with his mother regarding a passion for Tipperary GAA, Liverpool and horses was very dear to both of them.
He thanked Carrie for the encouraging role she played in backing him in business and the belief she had at all stages during his career with Dornans.

“Carrie wanted me to succeed. She was so supportive to Carmel, Courtney and Robert, she wanted people to succeed,” he said.
“They say you should never meet your heroes because you may be let down. Carrie was my hero for 58 years and she never let me down,” said Brian Acheson.

Aide-de-camp to President Michael D Higgins, Commandant Stephen Howard and Aide-de-camp to Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Captain Liam Lannigan were among the attendees at the funeral.
Also among the mourners were the Mayor of Clonmel Cllr Pat English, members of Clonmel Borough District and former members of Clonmel Corporation, Chairman of Tipperary County Council Cllr Roger Kennedy, members of Tipperary County Council and former members of Tipperary South County Council, of which Carrie was a member.
Serving TDs, former TDs and former members of the Oireachtas from Tipperary and other parts of the country, were also in attendance.

Jockey Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead were among the horse racing figures that attended the funeral
Carrie’s remains, with the coffin draped in the tricolour, left the church to the strains of You’ll Never Walk Alone, and the members and officials of Clonmel Borough District, dressed in their ceremonial robes, provided the guard of honour as the cortège made its way through the town.

A minute’s silence was held as the cortège stopped outside Clonmel Town Hall, where Carrie had proudly served as a member of Clonmel Corporation, and a minute’s silence was also observed outside the Dinny Lacey Hall on the way towards St Patrick’s Cemetery.

At various stages of the funeral members of the Clonmel Show Society, members of the National Ploughing Association, members of Fianna Fáil and members of the 3rd Tiperary Brigade Old IRA formed guard of honours to escort Carrie on her last journey through her beloved town of Clonmel.