The funeral of Mrs. Helen Hackett, esteemed wife of the Dean of Limerick, Reverend T. A. P. Hackett, garnered solemn reverence as mourners bid farewell to a cherished member of the community. Mrs. Hackett’s final rites occurred on Saturday afternoon, culminating in her interment at the cemetery adjacent to St. Marys Cathedral in Limerick. Her passing on Thursday at the Deanery elicited profound sorrow among a wide circle of acquaintances from both urban and rural locales.

The late Mrs. Hackett, born to Mr James Whiteside, M.D., of Bailyarton, Coleraine, was eulogized by clergy and laity alike for her gracious presence and contributions to the community. The funeral procession was marked by a significant presence of clergy and mourners, underscoring the esteem in which Mrs. Hackett was held.

The solemn ceremony, officiated by the Lord Bishop of Limerick, Dr Orpen, saw the participation of esteemed clergy including Chancellors Vance and Gillespie, Reverend W. E. Hewetson, and Reverend P. Sweeney. Mr F. Muspratt, Mas. Bac., organist of the Cathedral, rendered a poignant tribute with Beethoven’s Funeral March as Mrs. Hackett’s remains were respectfully conveyed from the sacred edifice to their final resting place.

At the graveside, the committal sentences were solemnly intoned by Bishop Orpen and Canon Vance, underscoring the solemnity of the occasion and the profound loss experienced by the community. Chief among the mourners were Mrs. Hackett’s grieving family members, including her husband, the Very Reverend Dean T. A. P. Hackett, her son Dr J. Hackett, her daughter Mrs. Robinson, Mr J. Hackett, and other sorrowful relatives.

The funeral of Mrs. Helen Hackett stands as a poignant moment of collective mourning, where the community came together to honour and bid farewell to a woman whose presence had touched the lives of many. As her mortal remains were laid to rest amidst prayers and solemn rites, the memory of Mrs. Hackett will endure as a cherished part of Limerick’s cultural and spiritual tapestry.

Dublin Daily Express – Monday 08 January 1917