THE mother of former Celtic manager Neil Lennon is being remembered as "a selfless earth angel" following her funeral service on Friday. Mourners gathered today in Lurgan, Co Armagh , to pay their last respects to Ursula Lennon after she passed away last weekend. It was revealed at her funeral that Mrs Lennon's most memorable quality was her generosity, as well as the many good deeds she carried out over the years.
Addressing the congregation at St Paul’s Church, her eldest daughter Orla said her mum used to give the money she was sent from Neil during his football career to the less fortunate in her hometown. Neil is currently manager at Rapid Bucharest in Romania but was previously Celtic FC's manager as well as a former Northern Ireland captain. He returned to Lurgan after his mum fell ill.
She had undergone a successful knee replacement in Dublin's Mater Hospital but suffered a heart attack days later. She then went into cardiac arrest for a second time and died due to it on August 4. Those gathering at the service were told that Mrs Lennon's caring nature and generosity towards those in need is what she will be remembered most for.
Orla said: "She was a gentle, kind and selfless earth angel. “Some people make the world a better place. My mum was one.
She never saw her own beautiful presence and how it graced all our lives. “She was our family anchor — solid, dependable, stabilising. She was a fantastic knitter.
We were all permanently dressed in hand-knitted jumpers as children. I’m sure she knitted Neil his first football. “In later years, when Neil became famous for something and was sending money home regularly, mum used to fill envelopes with money.
“She did it at night and would put them through the letterboxes of people that she thought were struggling to make ends meet. “She would write on the envelope ‘from a friend’. If anyone here today received one of those envelopes now you know who your secret benefactor was.
” Orla went on to joke that her mum was "more well-known" in Scotland than in Lurgan after her death post received 45,000 likes. Despite this, she was a constant in Lurgan and always a familiar face, particularly due to the fact she worked as a secretary at St Joseph’s Primary School . Mrs Lennon is survived by her four children, Orla, Neil, Jane and Aileen as well as her six grand children and three great-grand children.
She also leaves behind her husband of 56 years Gerald, who was sadly not able to attend the funeral due to his own health issues. Orla concluded: "Too ill to process what has happened, he will be spared the pain of knowing what has happened. "A goodbye kiss on July 15 was mummy’s final parting gift to him.
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