Daly, Sean
September 28, 2012A community united in grief to mourn the passing of a man who spoke so movingly and honestly about the devastation of discovering he had Motor Neurone Disease - and how his final wish was to walk his daughter up the aisle. Sean Daly went onto Keith Finnegan's Galway Talks show on Galway Bay FM last summer to talk of the reality of his battle with terminal illness, and how it has struck so quickly to bring him, a healthy fit farmer to dealing with what he unforgettably called ' a curse of a disease'. Sean was a native of Killimor, Ballinasloe, born in May 1939 to John and Mai Daly and one of a family of two brothers and four sisters.
He'd enjoyed a game of golf and his love of hurling and football was renowned - in his youth he wore the Killimor jersey with passion and pride and also represented Galway in cross country. Family played a huge part of Sean's life from a very young age, he married his first wife Mary Kate Kenny from Kilconnell, and they settled in Rathcabbin, Co. Tipperary where they farmed a diary herd. They had four children - three sons, John, Padraig, Paul and one daughter, Catriona. In 1977 Sean and his family moved to Kilconnell but sadly his wife Mary Kate passed away and at the young age of 43. Life had to move on for Sean and his children and in 1988 he remarried Aileen Brisco from Fahy and they extended the family with a son and daughter, Seamus and Hannah. They both farmed and worked hard for all their family and Sean took great pride in his work from farming and ploughing - things always had to be done right or not at all.
He won many trophies for ploughing and took first place in the All-Ireland Ploughing Championship in 1996. As recently as last March, Sean ploughed 140 acres to get ready for sowing barley before he was so suddenly struck down with Motor Neurone Disease. Sean carried this cross with dignity and courage and when he courageously appeared on Keith Finnegan's show, he revealed that his only remaining wish was to walk his daughter Catriona down the aisle on November 10. But sadly that was not to be, because Sean passed away on August 10, leaving his community and friends numbed and shocked at his passing just 14 short weeks after his diagnosis. From the very start if his illness, Sean encouraged his wife Aileen and family to be strong, insisting that life had to go on. He put up a great battle with the help of Motor Neurone Society and the Galway Hospice, together with his home help Geraldine Treacy, but unfortunately on Friday, August 10, Sean lost his battle and passed away peacefully. His remains reposed at his home before Requiem Mass in St. Catherine's Church, Aughrim, on Sunday morning and burial took place in Kilconnell New Cemetery. Thousands of people paid their respects over the two days.
At the funeral Mass, Fr. Gerry Geraghty gave a beautiful homily on Sean; his daughter Catriona and Hannah did the readings, while his sisters read the Prayers of the Faithful, his brother-in-law Eddie and daughter-in-law Claire carried the gifts, while his wife Aileen gave a beautiful eulogy on Sean's life. Sean Daly is survived by his wife Aileen, his sons John, Padraig, Paul and Seamus and his daughters Catriona and Hannah; his mother-in-law Noreen, brothers Brendan and Liam, sister Jo Morris, Phil Smyth, Pat Coughlin and Agnes Lawless; his extended family and particularly his grandchildren as well as a huge circle of relations and friends. Sean was a loyal, hardworking and trustworthy man both to his family and friends, to know him was indeed an honour that those who crossed his path will cherish forever.
(Text courtesy of Connacht Tribune 28/09/12) Tweet
