By Michelle Crean

There was sadness in town this week to learn of the death of Elisabeth Vincent (nee Tourne), widow of Billy Vincent, whose family donated his childhood home Muckross House and its 11,000 acres of land in the '30s to the State.

Elisabeth died in Monte Carlo, Monaco shortly after celebrating her 100th birthday, and nine years after her husband, former Club Patron with Muckross Rowing Club.

"It is with great sadness that the club has learned of the passing of Elisabeth Vincent," Tim O’Shea, PRO of Muckross Rowing Club, said in tribute.

"The contribution of the Vincent family to Muckross, Killarney and Ireland is nothing short of immense - most notably the gifting of Muckross House and the surrounding estate to the Irish State by Billy’s father, Mr Arthur Rose Vincent, in association with his parents-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. William Bowers Bourn. Today, the Bourn Vincent Memorial Park remains the jewel in the crown of the wider Killarney National Park.

"Billy and Elisabeth were both generous supporters of the club - in 1983, they donated £1,000 towards the purchase of a new gig named in Elisabeth’s honour - the first rowing venture for Muckross that looked beyond the lakes of Killarney and traditional Killarney sixing."

Elisabeth and Billy enjoyed a long life together and Billy’s passing in 2012 was in their 60th year of marriage.

"The Vincent connection with Muckross was long sustained through regular visits by the family to Billy’s native Muckross and the Killarney Regatta - keenly followed and kindly sponsored by the Vincents. The generosity of the Vincent family to Muckross and rowing remains evident in the club’s new boathouse, the Muckross Community Centre and several rowing boats - all of which were funded with the support of the Vincent family, including the late Fleur Melville Gardiner who further extended the patronage of her uncle Billy and Elisabeth. We extend our deepest sympathies to Elisabeth’s son Marc, grandsons Adrien, Antoine and Matthieu Banet-Rivet and extended family. May she rest in peace."

GRATEFUL

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce President, Niall Kelleher, said Killarney will be forever grateful to the Bourn Vincent family for their wonderful gift of Muckross House and what is now Killarney National Park to the people.

“In doing so, they helped establish Killarney and the entire county of Kerry as a major tourist attraction and their generosity will never be forgotten,” he said.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mrs Elisabeth Vincent at this very sad time but it will be some consolation to her loved ones that she lived a long and wonderful life."

At a meeting of Killarney Municipal District Council on Wednesday, the elected officials passed a vote of sympathy to the relatives of Mrs Vincent.