Angela Smith of Wicklow was a committed Buddhist and keen swimmer

Angela, or Angie as she was known by friends and family, passed away peacefully at Wicklow Hospice in March. Her funeral service was held in the ‘Garden Chapel’, Mount Jerome Crematorium, Harold's Cross, Dublin.

Angela was the beloved wife of Paddy Crean, mother of Shane, Jason, Richard, David and Andrew Neiland, step-mother to Lisa Crean and adored grandmother and great-grandmother.

Angela possessed an utterly indomitable spirit, a strength of mind and a unique personality that accentuated, both her beauty and her spirituality.

While delivering her Eulogy, her son David said: “One of Mum’s favourite philosophy’s was to understand the nature of ‘cause and effect’. There are now generations of Neilands and our global extended family in Ireland, Germany, England, France, Australia and even further afield that, would quite simply never be here today without mum.

“We are all eternally grateful to her. Mum is the ‘cause’ of all that and we, well we are all the ‘effect’.”

In 1973, while seven-months pregnant with her youngest son Andrew, Angela suffered a serious brain haemorrhage and was not expected to survive.

“Our adored Father, Tony Neiland was unenviably asked for permission to perform an emergency caesarean. This was in the hope of saving the baby, but with so little prospect for mum to survive, the last rights were also performed. Then, Andrew was born, and over 50 years later, he is still here today and it is only now that we say farewell to Mum,” said David.

Angela was always a keen swimmer and was a regular sight swimming at Wicklow Harbour. She was also a member of the renowned Crack of Dawn Swimmers in Wicklow town. She was still swimming as recently as last October, sometimes with only the occasional grey seal for company, particularly during days with particularly bad weather.

David recalled: “For many years, mum would swim every single day, including Christmas day and our our childhood patience was sometimes tested by having to wait until mum had had her morning swim before, we could all dive under the Christmas tree.”

Angela’s spirituality flourished when she began practising Buddhism in 1983 and she remained a committed Buddhist for the remainder of her life. She was also a major supporter of the Glencree Peace and Reconciliation Centre and had a great love of gardening and for nature. She also got great enjoyment out of music, tennis, literature and Irish rugby.

She met Paddy in 1985 and they married in 1999 and celebrated in February of 1999.

“Their love and commitment to one another has been an inspiration to all of us here. Family has been at the very centre of their lives, and together they have provided an indestructible core of support and love that everyone of us, has at times, needed to depend on over the last 40 years,” said David.

Angela also loved to travel, and in particular loved to visit her sons overseas.

David recalled: “With five nomadic sons, living at times, in the far flung corners of the world, mum and Paddy, have over the years, had their work cut out just trying to get to us. We never made it easy for her and even now, we are spread out in Ireland, France, Germany and the UK. But that never stopped mum though, and she loved to visit us wherever we lived, because, her love for her family transcended everything. That of course, and the fact that she loved a family party.”

Angela fulfilled so many roles in her life, devoted daughter to Tom and Kathleen Smith, loving wife and partner to Paddy Crean, a remarkable and inspirational mother to her five sons, Shane, Jason, Richard, David and Andrew Neiland, step-mother to Lisa Morrison, and mother-in-law to all their partners, a grandmother, a great grandmother, an aunt, a friend and an inspirational Spiritual leader.