Mary Butler, who was laid to rest on Monday after Requiem Mass in St Mac Nissi’s RC Church Randalstown was the third ex Antrim All Ireland winning Camog to pass away in as recent weeks, following Maeve Gilroy an Margo Kane.

Mary, who was born Mary McFall in Cloney, Ahoghill, was one of a family of eight children, six girls and two boys.  She started her Camogie career with the local St Mary’s club where she was joined by her sister Bridget, whose grandsons PJ and James O’Connell went on the play club and county hurling.

Mary was selected for the Antrim team in later years, winning an All Ireland medal in 1946 on the team that beat Galway in the final at MacCrory Park and two year later was a member of the Ahoghill team who won the Antrim county title.

A few months ago a member of the current Cork All Ireland winning team, Saoirse McCarthy, brought the O’Duffy Cup along when she and Mary’s granddaughter Charlene Campbell visited her in the Prospect Nursing Home in Ballymena.

Mary Buter’s love of Camogie (and hurling) endured long after her playing career ended and she was keen follower of her children and grandchildren who played the games, like the O’Connell’s for Cloney Gaels, the Hamills with Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm and her granddaughter Charlene who has had a great career with Ulster and Antrim champions Loughgiel Shamrocks and with Antrim. When her home club Ahoghill won the Bridie McMenamin Shield against Lavey in 2019 Mary was there cheering them on and joined in the celebrations afterwards.

When Mary’s body was carried from St McNissi’s Church on Monday to her final resting place, four members of the current Antrim Camogie team formed a guard of honour, a lovely touch, which was a nod back over almost 80 years to that day in MacCrory Park Belfast when Mary and her team-mates raised the O’Duffy Cup after the final win over Galway.

To Mary’s family, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren we offer our sincere condolences.