The late John Jackson A Raheendoran family is this week coming to terms with the tragic loss of a beloved son, brother, grandson and nephew. John Jackson's life was cut short at the weekend when his care was involved in a fatal road collision at approximately 2.25am. Twenty-seven-year-old "John Boy," as he was affectionately known, was killed instantly when the car he was driving went out of control and struck a ditch at Ballybannon on the Kilkenny road on Saturday morning, just a mile from his home. John Boy had been enjoying his friend, Shane Coffey's wedding in the Dolmen Hotel that say and the accident occurred when he was on the way home. He was alone in the car a the time. His devastated grandparents, Michael (Mick) and Nancy Geraghty, recalled fondly a loving, quiet boy who had spent most of his childhood in their home. "It's so hard to explain now. He was very quiet and very good. You'd want to have known him, he was just so good," Nancy said. "He had his whole life ahead of him. He had just got engaged in October and they were going to build their house and they had everything laid out." Mick added. An electrician by trade, John Boy worked in Clones, Co. Monaghan and it was there he met his fiancee, Martina. They had planned their future together in Co. Monaghan. Devoted to his parents, Michael and Clare and his brothers and sisters, according to his grandparents, John Boy made the trip to Raheendoran most weekends to visit his family and friends, except when he was working. "He had many friends. Everyone around loved him," his heartbroken grandmother said. "He use to come home on a friday night and go back again on Sunday. His brothers and sisters adored him. "It's so hard to think about anything now but he was really so good. We reared him in this house and them he went off to school first and them to work." Mick recalls that it was in his house that the nickname "John Boy" was first coined. He explained it came from "The Waltons", the TV show that used to be on the time. "He was interested in shooting and hunting and of course he loved football. He used to play hurling and football with Ballinabranna until he broke his two legs in a motorbike accident a few years ago," Mick said. John Boy's uncle, Vincent, spoke of a very shy sort of chap, who was very popular and very close to his brothers, Tommy and Michael and his sisters, Anne and Emily. "All the young people around here were very fond of him," Vincent added. "He used to play a lot if under-age sport and was very interested in football and hurling." John Boy's remains were removed form his home ion Raheendoran, on Monday evening to St Fintan's Church, Ballinabranna. Internment took place in the adjoining cemetery yesterday (Tuesday), following Requiem Mass at 11am. He is survived by his loving parents, Michael and Claire, his sisters Anne and Emily, brothers Tommy and Michael, fiancee Martina, grandparents Mick and Nancy, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and a wide circle of friends. Courtesy of the Carlow Nationalist. 02 December 2005. Tweet

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