Mary Britton 1925 - 2007
The death occurred on Tuesday, August 7th, at Summerville Nursing Home, Sligo, of Mrs Mary Britton, Sandhouse Hotel, Rossnowlagh. Her funeral to Clar cemetery, Donegal Town, on the following Friday was a testimony of the esteem and respect in which Mary was held, not only in her own community, but the whole of the island.
Back in 1948 one Vinny Britton bought the Sandhouse Hotel in Rossnowlagh for a reputed £900. In the same year, a young Mary Morrow arrived in Donegal Town to work for Powers Bookmakers on the Main Street. The bold Vinnie was instantly smitten. The couple married in 1949 and thereafter put their combined experience to work together in the building of the hotel business.
From a thatched three-bedroom cottage bar, the Sandhouse blossomed into the majestic landmark structure that graces the resort today.
But this was not achieved without a lot of hard work and sweat. Indeed the toll on Vinny saw him suffer a serious stroke in 1963 when still in his early 40s. This was to be the first of many. These events changed Mary’s life - she had to quickly become a businesswoman, along with raising a family of five boys ranging in age from 13 to a toddler.
From the early 60s, Mary worked hard building up the UK market. By 1969, she was vice-president of the Irish Hotels Federation. The Sandhouse Hotel had become to Belfast what Kelly’s of Rosslare was to the Dublin family market.
Then came 1969 and the long brutal violence in Northern Ireland. More than 70% of the hotel’s market was ‘wiped out’. But new markets beckoned - and Mary Britton followed them. She was one of the first Irish hoteliers to market the US and part of a small coterie who pioneered and helped develop the American market for domestic tourism. A woman of foresight, she realised the need for small individual hotels to be part of a larger marketing group to counteract the power of the big consortiums. In 1985 she was a founder member of Manor Hotels of Ireland, of which her son Brian is currently a director.
Up until the last few years, Mary was very much a presence in the Sandhouse, an hotel that indelibly bore the marks of her great taste - and determination that if something had to be done, it must be done perfectly. Mary Britton won the prestigious Billy Kelly Award for her services to tourism and numerous other commendations during her illustrious career. Although living in this county for nearly sixty years she remained unashamedly a Galway woman - fiercely proud of her roots in the City of the Tribes. Indeed, in moments of exasperation, her son Brian told me, she would say “how did I end up here in the wilds of Donegal!”
Fr Paschal McDonnell from the Franciscan Friary celebrated the requiem mass, assisted by Fr. Seamus Dagens, CC Clar. Fr Paschal’s homily traced Mary’s career - the trials and tribulations as well as the triumphs.
Fr. McDonnell spoke of Mary as a woman of ‘high standards’ and said that a reference from her would open the door to any hospitality establishment in the country - or indeed the world.
Fr. Paschal concluded ‘for a very independent person, sickness can be hard to deal with. Close to the end I could see dignity - and fragility. One night I went down to close the church. As I was doing so, I became aware of a shadowy figure at the back of the chapel. It was Mary and she said enough to let me know that she was going through a lonely time in her life. I had never seen this side of her before.’
Mary’s twelve grandchildren participated fully in the ceremony, reading Prayers of the Faithful, carrying Offertory gifts, while Easkey Britton played two beautiful traditional pieces on the flute.
Elizabeth Harkin, who has worked in the Sandhouse for over 40 years performed one of the readings. Mella Britton sang beautifully, accompanied by Angela Currid on organ.
In the final year of her life, Mary did not have good health and spent much time in Sligo General, St Joseph’s private hospital, Garden Hill and Summerville Nursing Home, Strandhill. In all these establishments, she was very well looked after by nursing staff and doctors.
Unfortunately having suffered a sudden turn, Mary died at 5.15pm on Tuesday, August 7th, at Sligo General Hospital, in the presence of family members and the hospital chaplain, Fr. Brian Conway.
The wake was attended by many of the old staff who had passed through the Sandhouse over the many years since its establishment. Among these, a common theme was, although strict, Mary was very kind and fair. Indeed one told me that after she had left, she often availed of Mary’s counsel as she progressed through life.
Mary was pre-deceased by her husband Vinnie and is survived by her sons, Brian, Conor, Barry, Willie and David; two brothers Bert and Conor; sister Madge; grandchildren and extended family. To these, and many friends, sincere sympathy is extended.
May she rest in peace.
Mary’s Months Mind Mass will be on 8th September at 11am. in the Franciscan Friary, Rossnowlagh.
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Belfast air link to benefit Donegal
A controversial decision by Aer Lingus to axe its Shannon to Heathrow service in favour of Belfast could have a positive outcome for Donegal.
According to a Letterkenny councillor, thousands of tourists will be flocking to the North West from January, when the Belfast to Heathrow route opens for business.
Former Town Mayor, Cllr Ciaran Brogan, said he was delighted that Aer Lingus had chosen Belfast as a destination.
Already Letterkenny Town Council are laying down plans for a multi-million tourist attraction on a vacant 30 acre site on the Neil T. Blaney road. The Donegal Discovery Centre is a €25 million tourist attraction which was previously unsuccessful in the Bord Failte grant applications. The plans have been re-submitted for funding to the Bord this year and have been accepted for further consideration. The huge scale of the Centre and the ready availability of the land bank for the project bode well for a favourable outlook.
Letterkenny Town Clerk, Mr Paddy Doherty said the council planned to dedicate 15 acres of the site to tourism - and generate private finance from half the site to help finance the project.
Cllr Brogan said the Aer Lingus decision to move to Belfast would be a massive boost for Donegal.
“I’m confident that the Town Council will be successful in this round of funding. We’ve already been selected out of the first round of applications and the fact we have a land bank ready and waiting with the full backing of a the Town Council is good news.
“It will attract 100,000 people and up to half a million potential tourists are within a two hour drive of Letterkenny. The potential is vast and with Aer Lingus opening up international tourism for the North West it can only be good for the whole county,” enthused Cllr Brogan.
Opportunity
“This is a fabulous opportunity to market Ireland as one island and will bring huge numbers of international tourists into the North West. Before, when people flew into Dublin or Shannon they made their way across country and flew out again, never making it to Donegal. Tourism routes through the Glens of Antrim, the Giant’s Causeway and down the coast into Donegal gives us huge scope. There has been massive investment in our infrastructure, hotels and tourism providers over the last 15 years. The whole county will gain,” said Cllr Brogan.
