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Obituaries

Clare Champion Obituaries

Scariff mourns passing of of a local legend

WARM tributes have been paid on the passing of Scariff’s Seán Brogan, described as “a man who did so much in the course of his life”. Mr Brogan, of Cappabane, was Chairperson of Scariff GAA Club. He was widely known and highly respected in sporting and political circles across the county and further afield. On Sunday last, in Cusack Park, ahead of the meeting of Clare and Waterford in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship, supporters showed their respect during a minute’s silence. At his funeral mass on Monday (May 23) in Scariff, mourners shared fond memories of Mr Brogan’s many achievements and the impact he made on his community.  Requiem mass was concelebrated by Parish Priest, Fr Joe McMahon and Fr Brendan Moloney. Fr McMahon spoke of Mr Brogan’s “preoccupation with the GAA” and remembered him as “a man who did so much for the young people of the parish”. Tributes brought to the altar included a Scariff Hurling jersey, …

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Tributes paid to innovative former Clare county manager

FORMER county manager Joe Boland passed away last week in his hundreth year and following his death, there have been many tributes paid to him and the contribution he made to Clare. Lissycasey’s PJ Kelly has been a county councillor since 1974 and for the first nine years of his career he dealt regularly with Mr Boland, who he said had been responsible for several great innovations, which improved the quality of life for many people in Clare. “He arrived in the 1960s and at that stage there were a lot of thatched houses in Ennis. He was involved in four major improvement schemes at the Turnpike, St Michael’s, Marian Avenue and Hermitage. “As far as rural Clare was concerned he was a step ahead of his time. He arranged a water scheme from Doolough Lake which served most of west Clare, it was one of the biggest schemes in the country at the time.” “Then in 1978 he brought …

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Tributes paid to late Dr Brían O’Rourke at funeral

“A GOOD man in every way,” was one neighbour’s description of the late Dr Brían O’Rourke, scholar, author, songwriter and linguist, who was laid to rest in Feakle this week.  Crowds thronged St Mary’s Church and the Angelus bell rang out, as the simple wicker coffin was carried in, adorned with carnations and roses – a nod to Brían’s famous comic ballad, ‘Chantal de Champignon’. Figures from the worlds of politics, literature, drama and broadcasting attended the funeral, as well as former colleagues from the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) where Dr O’Rourke had previously lectured in Heritage Studies.  Brían, a native of Ratheniska, County Laois, passed away, at the age of 73, at his home in Magherabaun on Friday, April 8. His funeral mass was concelebrated by his brother Fr Caoimhín. His broadcaster brother, Seán and sister Anne, brought up the offeratory gifts. Symbols were presented of Brían’s life. Among them was a copy of his book, Blas …

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Late Kilkee man was a fount of genealogical knowledge

“WHEN an old man dies, a library burns”. This saying was certainly true with the death on March, 21, 2002, at 12.30am, of Michael Falvey. Born on April 3, 1924, Michael spent most of his life working on the family farm in Kilkee. The Falveys ran a dairy, delivering milk to the people of Kilkee and surrounding areas.     He left Kilkee Lower for a short period to take up employment in the midlands with Bórd na Móna where Michael kept payment records for the workers. But he soon returned to his native place. In full health, Michael was a regular traveller by bus and ship to his brother Tommy and family in Birmingham. A proud father, he looked forward to visits and phone calls from his family at home and abroad and loved to follow their life journey and careers. A keen genealogist and founder member of Clare Roots Society, Michael had an exceptional brain for tracing families …

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Funeral hears of late Stephanie’s home of warmth and love

AT STEPHANIE Fitzpatrick’s funeral on Thursday, Father Robert McNamara paid tribute to the warmth of Stephanie’s family, writes Owen Ryan. Fr McNamara addressed a packed church in Lisdoonvarna, with many more listening outside to the homily. “When I was just in my first week here in Lisdoon, Marian asked me to drop in to see Biddy. I arrived, Biddy had the kettle on, and she asked Marian to put out the good jug for the priest. It was far I was reared from jugs! “Anyway, Biddy then produced this wonderful brown bread, for which I later discovered she was famous, and it was in the sharing of that bread that love and warmth and hospitality became really present, and God was there too undercover. “As the philosopher Wittgenstein had written over his doorway: ‘bidden or unbidden, God is present’. “That home of hospitality and love and welcome was the home that Stephanie came from, and it was a home of …

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Funeral details of victim of Clare crash announced

THE funeral Mass of the late Stephanie Fitzpatrick, who died in a fatal road traffic collision near Lahinch on Saturday, will take place this Thursday. Miss Fitzpatrick will be reposing in the Corpus Christi Church, Lisdoonvarna this Wednesday February 23 from 5pm with funeral prayers at 8pm. Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday February 24 at 11am, with burial afterwards in the Holy Rosary Cemetery Doolin. Those attending Stephanie’s funeral are kindly requested to adhere to HSE guidelines at all times. Stephanie was predeceased by her father Patrick (Pap) and is deeply regretted by her loving mother Biddy, brothers Pauric, Gerry, Noel, Kieran and Fintan, sisters Marian (Leneghan), Carole (Fitzpatrick), Tina (Meyler) and Eilish (Cosgrave), uncles Colie and Sean O’Loughlin, aunt Maura Roberts, brothers in law Brian Leneghan, Kevin Meyler, John Cosgrave and Philip Leahy, sisters in law Sarah Donegan, Danielle Festa, Sinead Byrne and Enara Agerri Leunda, nephews, nieces, relatives and a large circle of friends. May she …

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Appreciation of the late Fr Kevin McNamara

Senan Lillis with an appreciation of former Clare Champion columnist the late Fr Kevin McNamara TUESDAY, December 21, was the shortest day of the year and also, for so many, the darkest day of the year. On that day, news reached us of the sudden passing of our neighbour, leader, mentor, pastor and friend, Fr Kevin McNamara, PP of Glenflesk, County Kerry. At times in darkest winter, it’s difficult to imagine the wonders of the spring and visualise the fruits of the harvest. The silent and sudden presence of Fr Kevin’s passing has resonated deeply with us for it was Kevin who showed us how to tap into our inner selves allowing us to find meaning in our own experiences. Kevin, you will live forever in our hearts; your earthly work is done, your mission is complete, you have paved the generous and spiritual pathway of so many. While Kevin was revered throughout the diocese of Kerry for his great …

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West Clare man brought ‘joy, hope and laughter’ to people

A West Clare father-of-two was lauded for bringing “joy, hope and laughter” into the lives of countless people during tributes read out at his Funeral Mass on Friday, writes Dan Danaher. Paul Dillon (42) Knocknagore, Kilkee, and formerly of Tullycrine, Kilrush died tragically after he was swept out to sea near Farrihy Bay a few miles from Kilkee on Sunday afternoon. Addressing the congregation at Our Lady Assumed into Heaven Church, Doonbeg, co-parish priest, Gerry Kenny said everyone was gathered at this Funeral Mass to remember and pray for Paul Dillon. At this time, Fr Kenny offered deep felt support, prayers and sympathy to his wife, Roisín, son, Thomas, daughter, Aoife, parents, Paddy and Kitty Dillon, family, relatives and friends. Fr Kenny recalled Paul walked with his council colleagues as they formed a guard of honour for former local authority employee Michael Ryan, Bansha, when his funeral left Kilkee Church the previous Friday. “Little did anyone think that we would …

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