There was shock and sadness as the news spread of the passing of Catherine McGrath of Cregmore. The dynamic lady who gave a lifetime of service to a nursing career and then with her husband Murty and family, went on to turn their family farm into thriving commercial enterprises twice that changed the landscape of the area and put Cregmore firmly on the map.
Catherine was a native of Crumlin in the parish of Abbeyknockmoy and after leaving her studies in Tuam went on to train as a nurse in Dublin. Like many of her time, as the oldest of the family she went to work in England to help provide for her siblings. During her time in London Catherine’s father died, leaving her a main provider for her family. Sometimes working on three jobs, Catherine made many visits home and eventually decided to move back to Ireland.
She married Murty McGrath from Cregmore in the late seventies and together they built up the family farm as she continued her nursing career. However it was only when Catherine decided to retire from nursing that her ambitious entrepreneurial skills became evident.
She and Murty decided to section off a portion of the farm and purchased several thousand hens in a short period, converting the existing farm sheds and started their company Galway Free Range Eggs. Working through the large and small shops of Galway county and beyond, Catherine had Galway Free Range Eggs available in almost every corner shop in the county within a short time. It became the first egg company in Ireland to receive the Quality Assurance Mark and within ten years Galway Free Range Eggs became the biggest egg producer in Ireland.
Catherine won the Irish Farm Woman of the Year in 1998 and was presented with her award by President of Ireland Mary McAleese. Catherine also received the Finest Irish Business Award two years later. The business had expanded rapidly and in the middle of the Celtic Tiger years, Catherine was made an offer that was difficult to refuse and sold the business.
However by then Catherine had already started into the next project when along with Murty they decided to turn the remaining part of the farm into a golf course. Catherine went straight into the development of the golf course without a break and the economic downturn came at the wrong time for the McGrath family.
However, with sheer guts and determination, they continued their dream and turned Cregmore Park Golf Club into one of the most successful golf courses in rural Ireland. Her wonderful personality ensured that there was always a welcome for everyone – Cregmore Park Golf Club is known as one of the friendliest in Ireland.
Catherine was a devoted Catholic and believed strongly in the power of prayer. She regularly led prayer groups and frequently visited Lourdes, Medjugorje and other places of prayer around the world, when possible. Her funeral brought huge crowds back to Cregmore to attend as her remains were taken to the Church of Our Lady of Knock, Lackagh for her funeral Mass celebrated by Fr. John O’Gorman, PP Lackagh who was joined by Fr. Billy Collins and Fr. Joe Delaney. Members of Cregmore Golf Club escorted the remains to Lackagh Cemetery before burial took place.
Catherine is survived by her husband Murty, sons Ronan, John, Declan and Edwin, daughters Martha and Andrea, daughter-in-law and partners, grandchildren, brothers Henry and Richard, sisters Bernadette and Concepta, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.
