‘An aunt to everyone’ - Nora Higgins of Herbertstown is fondly remembered

“AN AUNT to everyone and a pure lady” - this was how Nora Higgins from Herbertstown has been remembered. 

Nora died on July 10 and would have been 101 on October 18. 

She spent her whole life in Herbertstown, except for a short period when she was in her early 80’s and she went to live in Dromkeen to nurse her sister who was ill. 

Nora was the youngest of 12 children born to John and Mary Higgins (nee Bresnan) in Rathjordan, Herbertstown and was the last sibling to survive.

She always loved farming and was a hard worker and used to walk four miles to and from school each day. 

Her mind was very sharp right up to the end and she even organised her own 100th birthday party, making a guest list, choosing prayers, renting the Millennium Centre in Caherconlish and getting a meal for around 150 people. 

To those who didn’t call her Auntie Nora, she was known as the small lady with the white hair around the village. 

Nora came from a staunch GAA family and was a huge Limerick hurling fan and was always very interested in local politics and international news. Many of her prayers in later years were devoted to the children suffering in Ukraine and Gaza because of war. 

Even into her older years, she remained strong and fit from all the years of working on farms. 

Nora never smoked, drank, got married or had children. 

She always said that the secret to a long life was hard work and faith. 

When she was about 13, Nora started working for the O’Donoghues who ran the local pub, first on their farm and then in the pub and looking after the children. 

She never actually officially retired from the pub and even into her 80’s would have gone in for an hour or two now and then. 

When she was in the pub, she took the angelus very seriously and people were not allowed to order a drink until it was finished. 

She spent the last few years of her life in St Michael’s nursing home in Caherconlish under the care of Dr Fehily and his team and was affectionately known as “the queen” there.

Nora was so popular that people had to fit into her schedule and almost needed to make an appointment, as she nearly always had someone visiting her.

She had been living on her own and decided to move to the nursing home when she was in her 90’s. 

Nora loved caring for people and even from the nursing home she would always send Mass cards and birthday cards, never forgetting the all important fiver and every card would come with a little handwritten note. 

At her funeral, one man from the community remarked that she probably pulled the first pint for many people in Herbertstown and pulled many a pint at the funerals of the same people, over the years. 

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“It was a very happy funeral, she had such a good life,” her great nephew Kevin Higgins told the Limerick Leader. 

At the funeral, the priest said: “It takes a village to raise a child, but in Herbertstown, Auntie Nora raised the village.”

Nora is survived by her sister-in-law Mena, nieces, nephews, the O’Donoghue family, relatives, neighbours and her many friends. 

May Nora’s gentle soul Rest in Peace.