It’s the end of an era for ‘old Letterkenny’ following the passing of renowned local woman Sally Blake.
The Ard O’Donnell woman will be remembered not just for her life in the Cathedral Town but also for the many adventures she had outside of it.
Born to Michael and Molly Blake, many wondered exactly how Sally managed to fit so much into her life as she rubbed shoulders with celebrities around the world.
She counted Daniel O’Donnell, Louis Walsh and so many other well-known names as personal friends and they too valued her friendship and advice.
Sally (pictured above at her home courtesy of the Sally Blake Collection on Facebook) worked initially in Kelly’s Hardware Store after leaving school but then started as a clerical officer with the ESB, a job she would remain in for 33 years.
But it was her time spent outside of the offices at Port Road and elsewhere for which she will be remembered.
A driving force behind the Letterkenny Folk Festival, her energy was electric and loved nothing better than to boast about Letterkenny and her native Donegal.
After retiring in 1996, a small issue of cancer was not going to hold back Sally Blake as she continued to “make friends and influence people.”
Her friend and local writer Paddy Walsh put it brilliantly when he wrote a piece about her some years back.
He introduced her by saying “She’s as well known on the Letterkenny landscape as the Cathedral spire or at any rate that part and people of the Letterkenny of days gone by.
“And in some of the homes of the rich and famous, far beyond these waters, you could mention the name, Sally Blake, and be sure of a nod of familiarisation.”
And being so well-known and hard-working, being elected to the local Urban District Council in 1967 for Fine Gael came naturally to Sally.
She served two terms on the council over 12 years and described it as a time in which she met many friends.
She dropped names like Jim McGuinness wins football matches but you knew that Sally Blake never lied about an encounter with the rich of the famous.
Other celebrities she mingled with included the actor Rod Taylor, violin legend, Yehudi Menuhin while artist Derek Hill was also a close, personal friend.
In 1996 she found her friend and billionaire butler Bernard Lafferty dead at his home in Los Angeles.
Creeslough-born Lafferty had been the friend and butler to billionaire Doris Duke.
It was just another chapter in the life of Sally Blake, a life sprinkled in glitter from her home in the Lower Burmah.
She never did write that book but it would have undoubtedly been a bestseller.
May she rest in peace.
Funeral arrangements:
The death occurred on April 9th of Sally Blake (Sarah), 14 Ard O’Donnell, Letterkenny, (F92 H58V), retired E.S.B. Officer, in the wonderful care of all the Staff of Archview Lodge, Nursing Home, Letterkenny and the Palliative Care team.
Predeceased by her parents Michael (Micky) and Mollie (Larkin), deeply regretted by her family, relatives, loyal visitors, neighbours and many friends.
Reposing at her late residence this evening, Wednesday 10th April from 6pm to 9pm and tomorrow, Thursday 11th April from 12 noon to 9pm with Rosary at 9pm both nights.
Family time please on the morning of the funeral.
Funeral Mass in St Eunan’s Cathedral on Friday 12th April at 11am which can be viewed live at www.churchservices.tv/letterkenny followed by burial in Conwal Cemetery.
Flowers welcome or donations if wished to Archview Lodge Residents Comfort Fund/Donegal Hospice c/o Paschal Blake, Funeral Director, Stoney Arch, New Line Road, Letterkenny.
