An Irish family in Britain, with strong Ballyhaunis connections who campaigned to have an Irish language phrase on their late mother's headstone was finally able to put the stone in place yesterday (St Patrick’s Day). 

Last month, the highest ecclesiastical court in Britain overturned a decision by a judge in a lower court, who had ruled that Margaret Keane's inscription must carry an English translation, in case passersby thought the Irish message was a political slogan. 

This cleared the way for the words "in ár gcroí go deo" - meaning "in our heart forever" - to be written on the headstone in 'The Meadow' - a new annex to the older churchyard of St Giles, in Coventry 

The ruling also said that parish records must record the English translation.

73-year-old Mrs Keane, formerly of Waterford and Meath, passed away in August 2018. She had lived most of her life in Coventry. She was a dinner lady in the local school for 26 years, and was a stalwart of the GAA in Coventry and the country of Warwickshire. She received a President's International Award at a ceremony in Croke Park in 2017. 

She is survived by her husband Bernard and children Collette, Michael, Vincent, Bernadette, Caroline, and Donna.

Her husband, Bernie, is a regular visitor to Ballyhaunis where his brothers Patsy and Emmet run Keane’s Kitchens. He was a former Provincial president of the GAA in Britain, and was a noted hurler.