Barrett, John
December 20, 2012The arrival of John - following those of his four sisters Catherine, Teresa, Eileen and Chrissy - was the cause of great celebration in the household of Mick and Nellie Barrett of Lenamore on February 2, 1930. Mikey's birth two years later completed the family.
But Mick died the following year and life in north Kerry was a difficult struggle in their early years. John went to Lenamore school but he left at 14 to take over the family farm. In later years, he told of drawing stones to the Cross of the Wood to be crushed for the roads or bringing turf to Saleen Pier for shipping to Limerick. He often rose at 4.30 to walk the cattle to the market in Listowel in the pitch dark. If he sold, he put them on the train and walked back home again. He was also the man neighbours called on to kill the pig. He left home a few times to work in London, including a spell building Bankside Power Station alongside his brother-in-law and friend Michael O'Sullivan in the harsh winters of 1948 and '49.
The hard work made him a strong man and he became proficient at throwing the half hundred. He competed at sports all over north Kerry and won the title in Knockanure with a fine throw of 23'10".
At home, he often had help from Jackeen Molyneaux, a man who only passed away recently at the great age of 103. John was always involved in his community and was a regular on the 'Wren' with the legendary Lenamore group. He later served on the local hall committee as treasurer and later as chairman, running the bingo every Thursday. He was chairman of the Ballylongford Race Committee for
over 30 years and enjoyed nothing better than the races at Buddy's Field and the prize-giving afterwards at Danny's in Bally.
A keen dancer, John encountered Madeline Moriarty at an outing at Mail Road Cross and the meeting ultimately resulted in their marriage in 1954. They went on to have four children, Mike, Nita, Dympna and James. He had two great passions outside of his family, Kerry football and politics. When Lenamore established a football team in 1984, John was appointed treasurer. It was a great disappointment when
the club disbanded five years later but he continued his support for his county.
In politics, green and gold gave way to blue and he served as chariman of the Ballylongford Cumann of Fine Gael for some years, deriving great satisfaction from the achievements of his
great friends, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan and Councillor Liam Purtill.
On his 80th birthday, Jimmy organised a party at which John received a presentation in honour of his dedication to the party. He was a great husband and father, a rock of sense and man of outstanding generosity. Among his friends, he was a great teller of yarns about the people of the area and he loved his game of cards. His brother-in-law, the writer John Moriarty, described him as being like the Dingle
mountains - strong and always there.
John's loss, on Sunday, December 9, came as a tremendous loss to Madeline, his children Mike, Nita, Dympna and James, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brother, sisters and all who knew him.
May John Moriarty help John cross his Kedron.
John Barrett was buried at Lislaughtin Abbey on Wednesday, December 12, following Requiem Mass at St. Michael's Church, Ballylongford, and reposed the previous day at Lynch's Funeral Home.
Go ndeana Dia trocaire ar a anam.
Courtesy of The Kerry's Eye. Tweet
