BALLINASLOE – Winifred (Minnie) Skehill of Corbane, New Inn, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in her 100th year.
The passing of the centenarian matriarch is being mourned by a wide network of family, neighbors, and friends across the region. Her death marks the end of a life that spanned a century of local history in the heart of County Galway, during which she witnessed profound social and economic change in rural Ireland.
Funeral Arrangements and Services
Funeral services for Mrs. Skehill will take place over the coming days in New Inn, in accordance with local parish customs and the national framework for the registration of deaths under the Civil Registration Act 2004. The family has requested that the house remains private on Saturday morning, allowing close relatives quiet time ahead of the funeral liturgy.
The schedule for the final rites is as follows:
- Repose: Friday, April 24, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Áras Mhuire Funeral Home, located on the grounds of St. Killian’s Church, New Inn (H53P6C0). Friends, neighbours and members of the wider community will have an opportunity to pay their respects and offer condolences in person.
- Requiem Mass: Saturday, April 25, at 12:00 p.m. at St. Killian’s Church, New Inn, with parish clergy officiating. The Mass will celebrate her long life, her faith and her contribution to community and family life.
- Interment: Burial will follow the Mass at Grange Cemetery, where Mrs. Skehill will be laid to rest alongside other members of her extended family.
For those who cannot attend in person, the family is understood to be supportive of remote sympathies, in line with evolving practices across Irish parishes since the pandemic, where online condolences and streamed services have become an important extension of community ritual.
Family, Community Role and Legacy
Mrs. Skehill was predeceased by her husband, Mick, as well as her parents, brother, and sisters. The family also notes the prior passing of her son-in-law Tommy, her granddaughter Mary, and her great-grandson Eanna Eoghan.
She is survived by a large extended family, including her sister Pauline and nine children:
- Maureen (Eamon) Carra
- Margaret (Tommy RIP) Leitrim
- Bridie (Tony) Duniry
- John (Ann) New Inn
- Bernie (Noel) Longford
- Carmel (Pat) Kilmeen
- Angela
- Eileen Loughrea
- Michael (Phyllis) New Inn
Beyond her children, Mrs. Skehill leaves behind 18 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren, spanning several generations and reflecting the strong intergenerational ties that continue to shape social and civic life in rural Galway.
Locally, Mrs. Skehill was regarded as a steady presence in parish and community affairs, representative of a generation whose lived experience stretches from pre-independence-era Ireland through membership of the European Union and modern rural development policy. Her home in Corbane was, by all accounts, a focal point for family gatherings, neighbours’ visits and informal community support.
In a statement reflecting the family’s grief, they shared the following sentiment:
“In life, we loved you dearly, in death we love you still. In our hearts you hold a place, no one will ever fill.”
Donations, Care and Sympathies
The family has specified that flowers should be kept to family members only. In lieu of floral tributes, donations are requested for Palliative Care, recognising the crucial role end-of-life services play within Ireland’s publicly governed health system and the broader framework of community and home-based care. Readers wishing to contribute are encouraged to support recognised palliative care providers operating under the oversight of the Health Service Executive.
The family expressed their gratitude to neighbours, friends, healthcare professionals and extended relatives for the kindness, practical assistance and support provided during this time, particularly in recent months.
Messages of sympathy may be offered to the family via the official condolences link, which will serve as a central point for tributes from those in Ballinasloe, across Ireland and abroad who are unable to attend the services in person.
