The Late Frank Lennon Mr Frank Lennon, who passed awya at his Commedagh Park home in Castlewellan on 4 May, following a brief illness, was in his 100th year. Born in Aughlisnafin, near Castlewellan, in December 1908, Mr. Lennon was a well-known character in both the business and sporting worlds. A shopkeeper by trade, he entered the profession as a teenager when he began an apprenticeship as a grocer in the Annsborough Stores. After he and his wife, Bridie, married in 1944, the couple moved to Maghera and opened a shop at the head of Ardnabannon Hill. Later, they lived for a few years across from this shop and then they moved to Main Street in Castlewellan. It was here that the couple raised their six sons. Sadly one of them, Pat, died just over 30 years ago. As a grocer, Mr Lennon was well known beyond the confines of Castlewellan as he delivered food and animal feed to homes and farms throughout the local countryside. At the age of 65, instead of retiring, he changed his business to an electrical shop. A little later he and his wife moved to Commedagh Park. Throughout his life Mr. Lennon was involved in sport both as a player and an organiser. He played for the three times champion Catlewellan Gaelic team of the 1930's and proudly wore the Down colours on several occassions. He was always a cricket and soccer fan, and when he withdrew from playing football he turned his talents to golf and spent many happy hours as a member of the Mourne Golf Club in Newcastle, right into his 90's. In his 80's, Mr. Lennon started to play bowls and was a star player for Bryansford and St. Mary's, Newcastle, and continued to play until several months ago. He was an active member of Feis an Duin and served as president for sometime before being made an honourary life president. He was also a member of the local Mass Rocks Committee and the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, as well as being an avid reader and a lover of poetry and song. Mr. Lennon is survived by his wife Bridie, children Brian, Frankie, Seamus, Joseph and Laurence, daughters-in-law Laura, Sharon, Christine, Helen and Louise, 10 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. His funeral on, 7 May, took place at Aughlisnafin. Canon Magee, Fr. Cahill, Fr. Murray and Fr. Deegan officiated. Courtesy of The Mourne Observer 14 May 2008 Tweet

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