Blake, Vincent
April 26, 2011Vincent Blake, Mullinacuffe, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, who passed away at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny on Wednesday 6, April served as a Fine Gael member of Wicklow County Council for almost 22 years and was a man who enjoyed immense popularity across the political divide.
Vincent had strong Carlow connections, residing close to the county boundary and being married to the former Ann Keogh from Killinure in Tullow.
Aged 90, Vincent farmed at Mullinacuffe all his working life, carrying on a successful dairying enterprise.
He had always enjoyed good health. However, just before last Christmas he sustained a broken hip in a fall and from there his health went into decline.
A lifelong member of Fine Gael, Vincent was co-opted to Wicklow County Council in the summer of 1976 on the death of party colleague senator Mary Walsh.
Vincent successfully contested the local elections of 1979, '85 and '91 before retiring from public life in 1998. His son Vincent retains the seat held by his father on Wicklow County Council. During his years on the local authority, Vincent was highly respected and a popular individual with all shades of political life and he worked diligently for the people he represented.
Vincent Blake was a committed Gael, playing Gaelic football in his younger days with Shillelagh, St Mary's of Ballyconnell and Clonmore.
It was a proud boast of Vincent's that on one occasion, while playing for Clonmore, he scored six points in the opening quarter of an hour of a game played in Grange. He always lined out at corner forward.
Having worked with horses on the farm before the age of the tractor and general farm mechanisation, Vincent always had a great affinity with the horse. He regularly attended race meetings and local point to-point meetings.
A sociable man, Vincent enjoyed a drink and his local was The Dying Cow, which is close to the Blake home and is on the route of The Wicklow Way.
His remains were removed from his home on Friday 8 April to St Finian's Church, Kilquiggan, where the funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr Pat Connolly, a Kiltegan father. Other clergy present included Fr Willie Byrne, CC., Shillelagh, Fr Raymond Gahan, PP, Tinahely and Fr Martin Casey, PP, Carnew. Mgr Brendan Byrne, PP, Tullow and Rev Andrew Orr, rector, Tullow recited prayers at the Blake home.
At the end of Mass, son Vincent paid tribute to his father and thanked all the carers who had looked after him so well over his final months.
Following Mass, Vincent was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery.
A devoted family man, Vincent is survived by his wife Ann, sons Tom (Mullinacuffe) and Vincent (Tinahely) - another son John predeceased him - by his daughters Ettie Moran (Boston) Marie Cannon (Midleton, Co. Cork), Sheila Kenny ( Crosslow, Tullow), Bernie McWilliams ( Dublin), his sister Rita Savage ( The Square, Tullow)- Vincent was predeceased by his sister Maureen Clifford ( Bunclody).
He is also survived by his 14 grandchildren, ten great grandchildren (five in the US), by nieces, nephews, other relatives, neighbours and many friends.
Courtesy of the Carlow Nationalist
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