Marie loved life and lived for family

Four months from her 60th birthday, Marie passed away on April 23, just two weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.

Marie was the daughter of Faye and Hugh Donnelly who had lived in Waring Street when she was born.

She had nine siblings; Roisin, Eileen, Kathleen, Ruth, Collette, Sonny, Sean, Dee and Cathal.

The Donnelly family moved to Deeny Drive where Marie spent most of her childhood.

As a youngster Marie went to the Sacred Heart before attending school at St Mary’s and St Michael’s.

At 17 Marie was working in England at a firm called Combex which made baths. She met Frank Bland who had been working as a tower crane operator and the couple were married in Lancaster on August 12, 1971.

But Marie returned home with her husband in 1972 when her mother Faye was diagnosed with cancer.

Marie and Frank first lived in the flats at Ennis Close before they moved to Lurgantarry.

They had three children Dee, Wayne and Sharon. And she also had 12 grandchildren.

Marie worked in a variety of jobs throughout her life including a stitching factory and at Tayto, also at Chiko Foods, at Irlandus and Goodyear.