Whitney, Harry
July 31, 2010Mr Henry (Harry) Whitney, 192 Whitney Place, Graiguecullen, who died unexpectedly on Saturday 31 July, was a former Graiguecullen and Laois county senior footballer.
Aged 89, Harry was a man dedicated to his local community.
Along with the late Jim Nolan, Harry Whitney was responsible for the introduction of the parish bingo to Graiguecullen in the 1960s.
He served in the national army during The Emergency and in the War years won an East Cork junior football title and the following year captured a Limerick senior football title with the 9th Army Battalion.
After his army days Harry joined the Department of Posts & Telegraphs (now Bord Telecom) and returned to play with his native Graiguecullen, who were then at the height of their powers.
He was a playing colleague and great friend to Tommy Murphy, "The Boy Wonder" of Gaelic football. Harry was on the great Graiguecullen side which won four-in-a-row of Laois SFC titles in 1944, '45,'46 and '47.
When he went to work in Portarlington Harry won a fifth Laois SFC with Port in 1949. His work with the P&T also took Harry to Dublin and Carlow. He retired in 1985.
He played for Laois in the Leinster SFC final of 1947, a game the O'Moore county lost to meath on a score of 3-7 to 1-7.
While serving in the army in Cork, Harry married Maureen Bransfield from Glanmore, Cork. Maureen passed away on March 31 of this year.
Harry and Maureen had celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in June of 2008. They had married in Glauntane, Cork.
Throughout his life Henry Whitney was a stalwart member of Fianna Fáil in Graiguecullen.
He was the last surviving member of his family. Whitney Place was named after his late brother Billy when the houses in the street were constructed in 1957. Harry was also a welcome and regular visitor to St Fiacc's House, Graiguecullen, where he had many friends.
Remains were removed to St. Clare's Church, Graiguecullen on Tuesday for Mass at noon, when a guard of honour was formed by members of the Graiguecullen GAA Club. The green and red jersey of the club was placed on the coffin, along with a Laois jersey.
Fr PJ Madden, CC Graiguecullen received the remains, with Fr Liam Morgan, CC Askea-Bennekerry also in attendance.
Fr Madden celebrated Harry's funeral Mass on Wednesday and in the course of a eulogy paid tribute to the life of the man, with particular reference to Harry's prowess as a Gaelic footballer.
Harry was laid to rest in Sleaty cemetery, where there was a very large presence of former work colleagues from the P&T.
He is survived by sons Thomas (Castlebar), Kevin (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) and Olan (58 Beechwood Park, Pollerton Big, Carlow), by five grandchildren- Natasha, Vanessa, Justin, Alyssa and Gavin and great grandchild Dylan, daughters-in-law Gaye, Siri and Marie.
He is also survived by other relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.
An obliging man and a good neighbour, Harry will be sadly missed by his Graiguecullen community. At the graveside in Sleaty the mourners gave "three cheers" for Harry in bidding adieu to a great community man.
Courtesy of the Nationalist
August 10th 2010 Tweet
