Lynch, Francey
November 25, 2009When someone dies, it's like a library burning down. The passing of Francey Lynch of Roslea feels that intense.
To the end he carried with him an air of enchantment; a wonder that life that offered him such a rich experience; disbelief that people should love him and venerate him the way he did. Francey was not defined by his age; he was defined by his energy, his enthusiasm and by his true originality. Perhaps, this was a by-product of his up-bringing where he was part of a generation of true originals.
He was born in the town land of Drumshancorick, Roslea on the 6th August 1918 into a family of four girls and three boys.
His father died when he was only seventeen, so by default and being the eldest of the boys, he found himself having to work hard to look after things. This wouldn't have been easy in a society and economy so vastly different to that of today.
Even with all the hard work, he got the perfect outlet to leaven his everyday duties by playing for Roslea Shamrocks in the mid 1930's to the late 1940's. This may have been in part to honour the memory of his father, John Lynch, who was one of the founding members of the GAA in the locality around the late 1880's.
This would have been a strife ridden period for the club but this was no indictment on the lack of spirit and effort on the part of the players and club head honchos involved. Francey had a pivotal role throughout and he a great knack for embellishing a story where he could conjure your imagination in particular of Cordoola Stadium which was the home ground back then as a jungle.
Francey wore his jersey with pride and distinction and in a memorable playing career; the highlight was actually one the last matches he played in which was the Senior Championship final of 1948 (the clubs first ever) when they were defeated by an all conquering Lisnaskea team of that decade.
Francey continued to have a great love for the GAA all his life and it was still burning bright as he attended matches as often as he could. He would always have been encouraging and very supportive. He was fittingly honoured as a Club President a number of years back.
Remarkably, the Lynch family DNA has continued with his own sons playing and it has now long reached to a fourth generation which has spanned the entire history of the club of over 120 years to the present day with Francey's grand son, Shane a current underage player.
Francey got married on the 13th September 1949 (sixty years ago) to Katie (nee Carroll) and they were a devoted couple. They settled and made their family home on a small border farm at Mullinainch. They were blessed with a large family of six daughters and four sons. Both Francey and Katie were exemplary parents and they thought the world of each and every one of their children, especially their youngest daughter, Phyllis, who was special. They provided a monument of support and encouragement to their children throughout by their example.
Another significant event happened in 1946, just as Francey was getting a view to getting married; he has taken another plunge with the purchase of his first car with the aim of making money in the taxi business.
By the time he was married, he was well established as conduit for the local community and by the time his children were coming along, he knew he had to money coming in. He proudly boasted that he installed a phone in the house even before a toilet. Throughout this time, Katie was his rock and inspiration and she combined all things necessary in the greater scales of things by looking after the children plus any farming tasks that needed her presence, all of which was done in a wonderful way.
Francey loved his cars and he kept them well. Small things were important to him; he was a stickler to being well turned out. He tried to accommodate people as best he could and wouldn't even contemplate letting people down. He was extremely conscientious, kind and courteous in the discharge of his duties.
He was a skilled driver, never seemed rushed, who had no need for a compass or any of them new fangled satellite things, he was as good a navigator as the three wise men put together. In many ways, getting a lift with Francey felt like being transported on a magic carpet as the parameters of his work shifted to so many situations and episodes.
Because of his knowledge of the local community and because he had a large family himself, he knew the whole complexities and absurdities of life, so much so that he could relate to people.
In his later years, he and Katie took things a bit more leisurely. He remained a keen gardener and kept a diary without fail. Both of them especially enjoyed the rapport they had with their family and grandchildren and extended family. They were constantly out and about.
All through his life, Francey had a deep sense of religious faith. He steadfastly abided by his beliefs which undoubtedly gave him strength to accept the ups and downs in life.
He lived his inextricably by the rules and was a great believer in the power of prayer. He was the last of his siblings to die, so he himself wouldn't been afraid of death as he would have accepted it as part of life. He died on the 16th October surrounded by his loving family who will miss him terribly and to whom deepest sympathy is extended to. But as he done for the rest of us, Francey gave them unstinting service and care, he left them with memories that they will cherish forever. They will be enriched by him, by his life and by his contribution to lives. If he had have wrote a book on his life, it would have been an epic, but like any good book, you don't want it to end. Hopefully, this will be a comfort to the pain of loss.
The Funeral Mass was held at St. Tierney's Church, Roslea on the Sunday and it was a funeral ceremony richly deserved. Fr. Peter O'Reilly P.P. officiated and he duly obliged in conducting an up lifting and consoling celebration of a blessed life. The funeral represented one of the greatest demonstrations of support that Roslea has ever seen for his family and reflected huge appreciation of his contribution to the life of the region. Had he been there himself to witness the attendance, he could not have avoided a smile of pride and gratitude at the tribute implied. I have been at many a funeral, but this was something different. It felt so worthy and respectful. You could feel the social history and hear echoes of the past as he had led the life of three lifetimes. Mourners seemed transfixed in their own private contemplation and in appreciation of the magnitude of things. It was dignified and it was warm. Francey was a unifying figure and his funeral was proof of this. He inspired loyalty and adoration because his spirit was both real and transferable and it rubbed off. This was the quality of a talisman, an everyman. People owe him a debt of gratitude, if it could be measured in monetary terms, then he would have more money than Sean Quinn.
No doubt by now, Francey will have gone through all the speed limits and bypasses to get to heaven and plotted a route for a few others to follow. He will be rubbing shoulders with his many friends and expansive surroundings will be illuminated by his personality. Anytime now, when we look up at the sky, there will a new special sparkle clinging on! Few people in life make you operate from the heart but he was special and I wanted to do him proud.
If there was a word I could invent to truly do him justice, I would but I don't believe it exists. His value to our community was simply invaluable. It was an honour to know him, rest in peace.
Courtesy of Fermanagh Herald
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