The funeral is underway of popular Monaghan hotelier, Anne Driver, in St. Macartan's Cathedral right now. Anne passed away peacefully on Friday evening. She is best known locally as the former owner of the Westenra and Lakeside hotels in Monaghan Town.
News of her passing drew a hundreds of touching tributes from local people online as people remembered how she made their wedding day extra special, reached out to their family at the time of a bereavement or otherwise brought her personal touch to the lives and special occasions of Monaghan people.
Anne started off as a waitress in the Westenra in the '70s but it wasn't long until she was owner, of not only her former employers' hotel but, a second one too. Monaghan Town businessman, Kevin Redmond, could not speak highly enough about Anne Driver the "trailblazer" who never lost her roots:
She is survived by her loving husband Peter, sons; Shane, Stephen and Brian, daughters; Sinéad and Grace, their partners and grandchildren as well as her own extended family.