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22 Oct 2025
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22 Oct 2025
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A Laois family run pharmacy group is in mourning following a family death.
McElwee totalhealth Pharmacies, which has a branch in Portlaoise and two more in Mountmellick, will be closed this Saturday morning as a mark of respect.
It follows the death on November 30 of Mrs Mary McElwee, the wife of founder, pharmacist Jim McElwee, and mother of the company's Managing Director, pharmacist Peter McElwee.
McElwee's pharmacy group posted a touching photo of the late Mrs McElwee dancing with her husband.
"A quiet word to the ear was sometimes all that was needed," the photo simply states.
"Mary McElwee. Died 30th November 2022. As a mark of respect to the late Mrs Mary McElwee our stores will close Saturday 3rd November from 10:30am to 2pm. Thank you for your understanding. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam," the business said.
Many hundreds of expressions of sympathy have been expressed by the community to the family. The pharmacy was founded by Jim McElwee in O'Connell Square, Mountmellick in 1975. He and his wife had remained as directors following his retirement.
Mary McElwee (née Daly, Tyrrellspass) of Carezza, No 2 Mount Henry Close, The Heritage at Killenard, Laois / Tyrrellspass, Westmeath, died peacefully in the wonderful care of the staff of St Vincent’s Private and University Hospitals Dublin.
She was surrounded by her loving husband Jim, children Peter, Maria, James, Richard and Rozamond, sister Ursula, brothers Terry and Oliver.
Hugely missed also by grandchildren Reuben, Juliette, Samuel and Jeremy, daughters and sons in law, Ian, Shumon, Dorothy, Dermot and Fiona, niece Caroline and nephew William, sisters in law, brothers in law, and extended family and amazingly close friends.
Mary will repose in Rozamond and Dermot’s home, No 1 Mount Henry Drive, Killenard, Co.Laois from 6pm Thursday, December 1. Removal (house private) on Friday December 2, to arrive at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Mountmellick for 6pm.
Requiem Mass on Saturday, December 3, at 11am, before Mary is brought to her resting place in Killenard, Co. Laois.
The Mass will be live streamed on www.mountmellickparish.ie
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