FORMER General Manager of the London Irish Centre Florence D'Arcy, who has died, will be remembered as “the lady from Limerick”, according to a lifelong friend.
The 77-year-old, who hails from Newcastle in Co. Limerick, passed away at Barnet Hospital on Sunday, November 29 in the company of her family and friends.
Ms D'Arcy, known to many as ‘Florrie’, headed the centre in Camden from the 1980s to the 1990s.
In recent years she lived in Borehamwood in Hertfordshire after retiring from a successful period of working as a publican and landlady for the Charrington Group in pubs across London, Surrey and Warwickshire.
Waterford native Mary Allen, President of the Council of Irish Counties Association, had been a friend of Ms D’Arcy for over 50 years.
Speaking to The Irish Post, Ms Allen said: “She was a great friend of mine, our kids grew up together, I miss her terribly. I only saw her seven days before she died.
“She’ll be remembered as the lady from Limerick, she really was a lady. She was caring, helpful and a great mother.”
She is survived by her four sons Patrick, Mark, Noel and Liam, her brothers and sister, her grandchildren and her extended family.
Son Pat said that his mother was very proud of her west Limerick roots, with a great love for traditional Irish music, and of being part of the Irish community in London.
Ms D'Arcy’s remains will arrive at the St Theresa of the Child Jesus Church 291 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1TG, at 4pm on Monday, December 14.
The Funeral Mass will be held at 10am on Tuesday, December 15. Burial will take place in Allum Lane Cemetery, Borehamwood Hertfordshire WD6 3PJ.
