Ballon lost one of its best known and most popular citizens with the passing of Michael Kavanagh (publican) on Monday 22 August. Aged 71 years, Michael lost his fight for life in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin where he was a patient for close on three months. This was by far the longest time he ever spent away from his beloved Ballon. The only son of the late Thomas and Mai (nee Morris) Kavanagh, he was educated at Ballon National School and Knockbeg College, Carlow. On leaving school, he assisted his father in running the family pub, building the existing lounge in 1985, a place where he spent all his working life until his recent hospitalisation.

He married Attracta Fenelon from Tullow in 1974 and the couple had one son, Paul.
A through and through sportsman, Michael was steeped in the GAA and got his first taste of success with the area team, St Bridgets, who won the Carlow MFC in 1957. He played junior with Ballon during the late 1950s and when the club folded transferred to Kilbride where he played a pivotal role in their 1964 JFC win. He went on to win the intermediate championship with Kilbride in 1968. He also played junior football with Carlow with distinction but surprisingly won just the one senior 'cap'. When Ballon reformed in 1977, Michael was to the fore and was a joint president of the club at the time of his death.

He was interested in sport in general, was a keen follower of horse racing and a supporter of Manchester United. He had a vast knowledge of sport as well as of his village and parish and was of great assistance to people compiling articles and in particular to the local Ballon/Rathoe Chronicle committee.

His remains reposed in Kearney's Funeral Home in Fenagh before being removed to the Church of SS Peter and Paul, Ballon on Wednesday evening, 24 August, and burial took place in Ballon cemetery following Requiem Mass on the following day. Members of both Ballon and Kilbride GAA clubs provided a guard of honour at both the removal and funeral as did members of the juvenile club, Burren Rangers.

Michael is survived by his son, Paul, sisters Joan Rafferty (Dublin) and Clare Kavanagh (Carlow), daughter-in-law Catherine, brothers-in-law, sister=in-law, nieces, nephews and other relatives. As well as his parents Michael was predeceased by his wife, Attracta (2002) and sister, Maureen (2006).

- Courtesy of Carlow Nationalist, 30th August 2011 Tweet

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