Mourners told the ‘queen of Osborne Street’ had a ‘heart of gold’

People gathered at the funeral of Rosemount woman, Roseanne Moore, have been told that the 97-year-old had a ‘heart of gold’.

Roseanne Moore died peacefully at home on November 29.

At 97 years of age, it’s understood that she was the oldest member of the Rosemount community and a much-loved resident.

Father Paul Frazer said Requiem Mass at St. Eugene’s Cathedral on Tuesday where Roseanne was baptised in 1923.

He told mourners that in normal circumstances a large crowd would have attended the funeral of the ‘proud Derry woman’.

But because of the current restrictions family in Glasgow, as well as neighbours and friends would instead watch online.

The priest said Roseanne was the oldest of 10 children who grew up in a house at Alexandra Place in Derry.

It was a home where, ‘you can imagine there wasn’t a lot of room for luxury or idleness’, Fr. Frazer said.

He took time to praise the resolve of countless Derry women who, like Roseanne, ‘didn’t have it easy’ but ‘seen it through without complaining’.

Although Roseanne’s parents ‘didn’t have a lot’, Fr. Frazer said, they taught their children ‘how to love and to be decent people’ – ‘to believe that God is walking that journey with them’.

Born between two world wars and living in the North of Ireland when partition was relatively new, Roseanne had ‘many difficulties to overcome’.

Her grandparents home at Clonmany acted as a retreat, allowing her to ‘escape’.

When Roseanne’s mother became ill, she took on parenting responsibilities for younger siblings and sacrificed her own dreams, turning down a scholarship at Thornhill.

Mourners heard that the Rosemount woman worked long hours at the Star Factory and was happy receiving her first pay cheque of six Shillings or 30p in today’s currency.

After her mother died, Roseanne took on even more responsibilities.

While out at the Corinthian Ballroom she met the love of her life, Patrick, having been ‘bought by a lemonade’, Fr. Frazer light-heartedly said.

The couple married at Long Tower chapel in 1944 as the Second World War was drawing to a close.

Father Frazer said: “Gold was scarce which explains why the wedding ring was so thin.

“By thinking about the image of the wedding ring you can understand who she was.

“There wasn’t much gold in her wedding ring but plenty in her heart.”

People were welcomed into her home with tea and biscuits.

Family was central to her life and she passed on that love and modesty to her daughters.

In 1987, husband Patrick died which left a ‘gaping hole in her life and heart’.

Once again, she took her place at the head of the family and that is where she remained.

“There’s still only one Queen of Osborne Street,” Father Frazer said.

Memories, ‘good and bad’ were made on Osborne Street, and the passing of two daughters were ‘devastating blows’.

But through it all Roseanne kept her faith in God.

The way family looked after her was a ‘credit’ to them all, Fr. Frazer added.

One of her gifts, Fr. Frazer said, was drawing the best out of people and that will be the legacy she leaves behind.
Roseanne was the beloved wife of the late Patrick, loving mother of Patricia, Caroline, Lucia and the late Dolores and Maureen.

A darling grandmother, great grandmother and great-great-grandmother.

Beloved mother-in-law of John and Hugh.

And dear sister of Margaret and the late Barney, Kathleen, Patsy, Celine, Maureen, Eileen, Harry and Winifred.