Crotty, John
June 09, 2011
He was the most kind-hearted person you could wish to meet in a day's walk. A loving husband, father, grandfather, a good neighbour and true friend to everybody that had the good fortune, privilege and pleasure of knowing him. That perhaps best sums up John Crotty of Upper Skeheen and the words come from the person who knew him best in the world, his wife, Lena.
John died on May 15 after a short illness at Mallow General Hospital. During his 84 years he touched many lives. Born on September 7, 1927, he was the youngest of 8 children of Timmy and Mary of Lower Skeheen. He attended Ballygiblin National School and received his secondary education at Mitchelstown CBS.
In 1963, he married Lena O'Donnell of Upper Skeheen and they both worked very hard running a dairy farm. They reared a family of 4, Willie, Mary, Liz and Helena. As well as the dairy farming, John performed many other farm related activities. He operated a corn drill, potato planter and digger and other farm machinery and helped the neighbours to harvest the crops in hard times. Before Macra na Feirme was founded, John was a member of the Gaelic' League and the Young Farmers Association. He always kept up with the news and the Farmers Journal, Irish Examiner, Farm Exam, Echo and The Avondhu were read from cover to cover. He also loved to sit down in the evening and watch his favourite programmes on the television.
A good Christian, his Mass and Blessed Sacrament and prayers were very important to him. He was also very pleased that his nephew Reverend Monsignor Michael F Crotty administers to the Vatican Secretariat of State in Rome.
John loved all codes of sport, was a very good analyst of big games in hurling and football and could point out where changes and switches could be made to win games faster than selectors and managers we have nowadays. And the meeting of Cork and Tipperary would have attracted a good bit of banter around the house, as daughter -in-law Tricia is an aunt to star Tipperary goalkeeper, Brendan Cummins. He enjoyed a game of cards and would go to the Mountain Barrack to play and enjoy a night out until it closed a few years ago. He also enjoyed dancing and with Lena danced to Mick Del in the Mayflower and Bridie Gallagher on the stage in Goatenbridge 'Happy Days'. He travelled to many festivals and had a great passion for terrier racing and won many trophies and rosettes at the sport.
John knew everybody and everybody knew him and even during his illness a new nurse arrived that he did not meet previously. He was a very good interviewer, she was interviewed fairly lively and the next time they met they were on first name terms.
A character, a man of quick wit and a massive sense of humour. I sat with him only a few short hours before he died, we spoke about relations but what amazed me most was his faith and how he accepted everything as the will of God. John had reached an advanced age; he loved life and enjoyed it to the full. He liked nothing better than taking the grandchildren Brendan, Gráinne, Shelly and Molly around the farmyard with him to see new life appearing in the sheds at calving time and the domestic animals always received special treatment.
John retired from farming a good many years ago, but his massive knowledge, valued opinion and encouragement was of huge benefit to Willie and Tricia on taking over from himself and Lena. And so John, as I bid you a fond farewell in the hope that we will meet again le cúnamh Dé, remembering as we looked out from Brigown towards Upper Skeheen. As you were laid to rest the hills were hushed and silent as if in salute to the man with the cap. A favourite son had departed and made his way to the upper house in God's Heavenly Kingdom.
The massive crowds that attended John's removal from Kilbehenny to Mitchelstown parish church and burial in Brigown Cemetery was testament to the esteem in which the Crotty family are held. In an emotional send off, his cousin Sean Crotty from Skeheenarinky performed 'The Three Leafed Shamrock' one of his favourite songs.
John may your gentle soul rest in peace. You died as you lived everybody's friend. Ní bheidh do leithid againn arís. Ar dheis lámh De go raibh a anam dílis.
- Courtesy of The Avondhu 9th June 2011
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