Obituaries

TRIBUTES have been paid to a much loved North Clare woman who sadly passed away last week. Selina O’Sullivan, of School Road, Lahinch was well known throughout the county, particularly for her services to the Irish Red Cross in Clare and Water Safety Ireland Clare. Selina passed away peacefully in the care of the staff at Milford Care Centre on Monday. She is survived by her husband Kieran, daughter Susan, brother Owen, sisters Joan and Helen, other relatives and friends. She was predeceased by her parents Marie and Tomsie. Selina spent many years dedicated to the Irish Red Cross in Clare and in a statement posted online the organisation said, “It’s with great sadness that the Irish Red Cross Clare mourn the passing of Selina O’Sullivan. “Treasured wife, mother, sister and member of the Irish Red Cross. Former ADU and EMT. We wish our deepest condolences to Selina’s family and friends. May she rest in peace.” Clare Area Treasurer James …

THE indelible mark left by the late Joss Lowry on sporting and community groups in Killaloe and Ballina has been acknowledged this week. The former Coillte forester from Killestry, Killaloe, died peacefully surrounded by his devoted family in the tender care of the staff of Milford Care Centre towards the end of last month. The 75-year-old’s legacy included decades of voluntary work to a plethora of groups including Clarisford Park Committee, Killaloe Ballina RFC, Killaloe-Ballina Tennis Club, Smith O’Brien’s GAA and Camogie Club as well as fundraising for Milford Hospice in Limerick. Leading the tributes, Clare County Council chairman, Tony O’Brien recalled Joss was a very proactive community activist who immediately immersed himself in community activities when he came to Killaloe in 1980. Councillor O’Brien said Joss quickly joined Killaloe Ballina RFC where he volunteered as a staunch member. “Joss initially started playing rugby and then got involved in the committee at officer level. “He went on to become the …

Clare County Council has opened a Book of Condolence in memory of the late cervical cancer campaigner, Vicky Phelan. The Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Councillor Tony O’Brien, is inviting members of the public to sign the book and join people from all over Ireland and beyond in honouring Vicky’s legacy as “a remarkable person and a courageous and inspiring advocate for women’s health”. Councillor O’Brien said: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of Vicky Phelan. Vicky’s campaigning to expose the controversy around the national screening programme CervicalCheck gave voice to many women and reflected her immense courage, determination and dignity while facing her own illness. “In doing so, Vicky inspired us all. Vicky Phelan truly made an enduring contribution to Irish society. On behalf of the Elected Members and staff of Clare County Council, I wish to extend deepest condolences to Vicky’s family at this most difficult time.” Chief Executive of Clare County Council Pat Dowling …

WARM tributes have been paid to Scariff native, Fr Michael (Leo) Long, who was laid to rest on Saturday last in the grounds of the Scared Heart Church. At the concelebrated funeral mass, Fr Leo was recalled by the Bishop of Killaloe as “certainly his own man” with a warm and outgoing personality.  Born in 1929, he studied at St Flannan’s College in Ennis from 1941 to 1946. He undertook studies for the priesthood in St Patrick’s College, Carlow from 1946 to 1952. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph Rodgers on June 8, 1952, alongside his brother Fr Jackie. Fr Leo was ordained for the Archdiocese of Melbourne, and ministered in Australia for many years, before returning to Ireland in 1991. He then ministered in Kilmurry McMahon for a year before serving in Silvermines and Templederry, retiring to Nenagh in 2017. He spent his final months at Carrigoran Nursing Home in Newmarket-on-Fergus and died at University Hospital …

THE recent passing of Michael John Quigney was greeted with a deep sense of sadness, especially in the Clooney and Tulla areas. Michael John was well known and popular through his employment and involvement in many organisations. Born in 1940, Michael John lived all his live in the townland of Toonagh in Clooney Parish adjoining the Tulla boundary. A hard worker and helpful neighbour, he worked for many years in Shannon Airport with Aer Lingus and Tedcastles Oil. He also ran the family farm. He was a member of the Tulla Macra na Feirme club that staged the Tulla Agricultural show, a show that attracted the world-renowned show jumper Tommy Wade. Michael John was also an athlete, a piper, an FCA member, a competitive card player and a fanatical GAA supporter. He followed the fortunes of Clooney-Quin and Clare with a boyish enthusiasm, right to the very end. He actually attended the Muster Hurling Final a few weeks before he …

Jack Heaslip was one of the gatekeepers — one of the last of a breed that they don’t make anymore writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh who pays tribute to the Kilkenny-born businessman and GAA man who became more of an Ennis Townie than the born and bred Townies themselves. YOU mightn’t want anything in the shop, but you still went in. To say hello, to talk, or more importantly to listen to some of the nuggets of history that went from Clare to Kilkenny and back again. Many times over. And, they were always nuggets. It could be about Jack’s journey from one shop in Knocktopher in rural Kilkenny to another shop in urban Ennis. It could be about the Kilkenny footballers — yes the Kilkenny footballers that came from his parish and won Leinster senior championships for Kilkenny and county championships for Knocktopher in the early 1900s. Captain Dick Holohan, Jimmy Cody and Dick Dalton were the Knocktopher men he’d …

THE town of Ennis lost one its legends this week with the passing of local business man Jack Heaslip a day after he celebrated his 96th birthday. Jack, who was originally from Knocktopher, Kilkenny, was well-known throughout Ennis and Clare with Heaslip’s shop a fixture of O’Connell Street since 1960. Speaking at his funeral mass at Ennis Cathedral on Thursday morning, Jack’s friend Bishop Willie Walsh said that while it was a sad occasion, Jack had lived a very full life. “We gather, I think, in both sadness and in gladness. In sadness at the departure of a dear friend, but in gladness too, to have known such a lovely, gentle person, who enriched so many of our lives. Gladness too, I think, at the manner of his departure having just celebrated in song and story his 96th birthday. We thank God for his truly blessed and full life.” Delivering a eulogy, his son Sean said Jack had been a …

AN Ennis family has been left heartbroken following a tragic diving accident in Lanzarote. 18-year-old Hernán Lopéz Shanahan, son of Leona Shanahan from Ennis, lost his life while free diving at Playa Chica on the Canary island. During his now short life he had lived in Ennis, France and Lanzarote.  Hernán went to primary school in Ennis Educate Together before moving to France with his mother and later to Lanzarote where he was a student. Ennis remained close to his heart and he regularly returned to see his extended family including grandparents Cornelius and Nora Shanahan. A resident of Tías in Lanzarote, Hernán was a student of Underwater and Hyperbaric Activities at the Escuela de Pesca in Arrecife. His death on August 29 was met with shock and among the local headlines in Lanzarote were, “The death of young Hernán Lopéz Shanahan makes Lanzarote cry.” Paying tribute to her grandson Hernán’s grandmother Nora describes this headline as “touching” with the sentiment evident by the huge …