Maureen Elizabeth Carrigan, whose musical talent and generosity enriched the lives of generations of musicians across Moree and the North West. (Photo supplied)
A most talented and generous musician, Maureen Carrigan (nee Boland) died on June 1, 2026, at the age of 87, surrounded by love and family.
A true daughter of the Northwest, Maureen grew up at ‘Narba’, Mallawa, a middle child of the late Les and Connie Boland. She was educated through the Blackfriars correspondence school and later as a boarder at San Clemente, Mayfield where her musical talents were nurtured. Returning to Narba after she left school, she married Ced (Cedric) Carrigan in 1960 and they moved to ‘Loch Leven’, Bullarah where they became very involved in the local community through the Bullarah Tennis Club, CWA and Bullarah Hall and School.
Widowed at the age of 30, Maureen moved with her four young children to Moree in 1971 and started teaching piano and violin to many aspiring local musicians at her home in Edward Street until 2016.
Maureen was one of the most accomplished accompanists outside the metropolitan area and shared her talent with the Moree and wider community for over 50 years. A woman of deep faith, Maureen played the organ or piano at St Francis Xavier’s Church for weekly Mass, and at countless weddings and funerals and for the ordination of Fr John Curran in the Moree Town Hall in the early 1970s.
Maureen played the piano in bush halls, preschools and aged care facilities, she played for children’s choirs, school choirs and adult choirs, on the back of trucks, in gardens and in paddocks. She played at Golden Grain festivals and accompanied Moree District Band members for external music exams. She played in a bush band and in local productions including Hits of the Blitz and was offered life membership of the Moree Musical and Dramatic Society for her piano accompaniment of musicals over 10 consecutive years including My Fair Lady, The White Horse Inn and South Pacific.
One of the greatest musical achievements of Moree musicians was the combined choir performances of Handel’s Messiah and Maureen accompanied all performances which occurred at Christmas time over several years in the 1980s.
With other local piano teachers, Maureen organised educators from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music to run yearly workshops in Moree for the piano students during the 1980s and 1990s.
Whenever there was an event that required musical input, Maureen was always happy to elevate the musical experience for the Moree community. She made lifelong friendships through her musical associations from Pius X Preschool to the Moree Musical & Dramatic Society, to combined choirs or just for the frequent singalongs around her piano at Edward.
Even in her dementia, music did not leave her – she would play the piano after breakfast most mornings at her aged care facility for the enjoyment of residents and staff.
Most importantly, Maureen is remembered for her gentle way of leading with kindness, always, her gift of music, her gratitude for the simple things in life, the modelling of the treasure of relationships, and her capacity to forgive.
The celebration of Maureen’s life was held on Friday, 26 June, at St Francis Xavier Church, presided over by her brother-in-law Fr Dominic Carrigan, CSsR and attended by many family and friends. One of the hymns at the requiem Mass was Make Me a Channel of Your Peace – the words of which are a reflection of the woman remembered.
Maureen is survived by her four adult children: John Carrigan (Moree), Carolyn Carrigan (Coffs Harbour), Anne Quill (Windsor QLD) and Carmel Schwager (Wee Waa), as well as eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.