With the death of John Finn, Ballingarry, Kilchreest, South Galway lost one of its oldest citizens. John was born in Bridgepark, Ballinakill in April 1911, the youngest of a family of nine. Like his four brothers he developed a keen interest in sport at an early age, particularly hurling. is playing career began with the Ballinakill/Woodford Senior team in the early 30's. When the parishes when their separate ways he helped Ballinakill win two Junior County Championships and when they later achieved Senior status he continued to pay with them into the early 40's. When he moved to reside with his Uncle Tom in Ballingarry he played first for Kilconiron and later Kilchreest with whom he won two South Board Junior championships. His last game was the County Junior Final of 1951 when he was aged 40. All his life he had a great interest in politics and current affairs. He was a founder member of the Clann na Talún party in South Galway in 1948 and in 1950 he was a candidate for that party in the county council election. When the party merged with Fine Gael he continued to be an active member. He was a hardworking and progressive dairy farmer and was a founder member of the Castledaly NFA (later to become the IFA) in 1956. He was a devoted family man and his first priority was always his wife Margaret and his five Children of whom he was immensely proud. While maintaining the strong religious convictions of his youth he accepted and welcomed most of the changes he experienced in his long life. He was fortunate to enjoy good health up to his early nineties. He spent his last two years in the care of the Little Flower nursing Home in Labane where he died peacefully on November 1 at the age of 96. The attendance at his removal, funeral Mass and burial was large and representative bearing testimony to the esteem in which he was held throughout his long life. He is survived by his wife Margaret; his son, Gerry (Ballingarry); his daughters, Mary (Limerick), Dr Kathleen Murray (Birmingham) and Dr Patricia Sweeney (Cambridge); his sons-in-law; grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Sadly he was predeceased by his son, John Jnr., in May 2006. Courtesy of the Connacht Tribune 16 November, 2007. Tweet

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