An artist who drowned off the coast of Co Mayo “sparkled in company” and was at her happiest “with a glass of champagne in her hand”, her funeral heard on Thursday.
Despite efforts to save her, Cathy Hughes drowned at Old Head beach in Louisburgh on Sunday.
The artist and grandmother who was aged in her 60s had been living in Salthill, Galway but grew up in Westport, Co Mayo.
Anne McGovern told those in attendance how her sister, who was simply “fun to be with”, loved the good things in life and “had excellent style and taste”.
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She was speaking next to her sister’s wicker coffin, which was laid against a backdrop of her art including her painting Magical Maldives, which was inspired by her memories of snorkelling in the warm waters there.
Ms McGovern said the day her sister died began as many others did. She went to mass and then packed to return to her home in Galway, which she intended to do after a swim at Old Head.
“Cathy, unfortunately, was found at the water’s edge a few hours later. Still alive, first responders worked on her until there was no more hope,” she said.
She recalled spending last Saturday with her sister, a beautiful day during which they “walked, sang, swam and ate lovely sandwiches at the beach”.
In particular, the two sang the chorus of John Denver’s song Today, she said, recalling the lyric: “‘Ere I forget all the joy that is mine, today.”
“Little did we realise how meaningful those words were to become on Cathy’s last full day on this earth,” she said.
Despite being one of a family of 13 and “number eight”, Ms Hughes was always the “centre of attention” and was known as “Chatty Cathy” while at school, her sister said.
Tragedy had struck Ms Hughes when Maura, one of her three children, died at the age of 30, and once her son William and daughter Isabelle were independent, she turned to her art.
“Over the last number of years, Cathy has produced some beautiful works. Many of us here today are the proud owners of those now treasured gifts,” she said.
Her funeral heard how she wished to be known as “CC” by her four young grandchildren whom she “adored unconditionally”.
“It’s sad to realise that those children will never now get to know CC, the CC we all know, the warm, vibrant, religious, glamorous, elegant granny,” she said.
She said her sister who “sparkled in company, was at her happiest with a glass of champagne in her hand” and loved swimming, fly fishing, reading, travelling and “walking the prom”.
Ms McGovern asked those attending to remember her sister for the “joy she brought into our lives”.
She thanked her sister’s “many friends” who shared comments and stories since her passing, both in person and on social media.
“Cathy would have loved all that,” she said, to laughter.
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