The Late Jimmy Barry When Jimmy Barry was buried on Monday, Tralee had lost a stalwart businessman and sporting enthusiast. He experienced success in his younger days in the colours of Tralee CBS and the Tralee side that contested the county minor football championship at the time but his adult years co-incided with a black spell rather than black and amber for Austin Stacks. So it was with great delight that Jimmy Watched The Rock win the County Championship in 1973 for the first time since 1936 and as chairman and as selector when the All-Ireland Club title was won four years later. Having won a Munster Colleges medal in 1948, he was captain of The Green when his school retained the title the following year. His brothers Kevin, David and Mundy also donned the club's black and amber. Jimmy's other great love was horseracing and he served as a member of the Racing Board and as a senior steward at the Kerry and other racecourses. He was a shareholder in his local track, Ballybeggan Park and also served as chairman on that board. He also found time to become captain and president of Tralee Golf Club, chairman of the Boy Scouts and chairman of the Kingdom Motor Club. There was a time when family bakeries were a feature of every town and village in Ireland but Barry's is one of the last remaining one's. There were four others in Tralee when Paddy Barry baked his first batch in Blennerville in 1924. The business moved to Rock Street and later crossed The Street of Champions to its present location in 1928 where Paddy also opened a shop. Jimmy was dispatched to Dublin to learn the baking trade when he returned in 1953, he brought with him the concept of the electric cars. These, with the Barry's slogan 'Aran gan Saru', were a most recognisable feature in the town for may years. The last of these was decommissioned only in 2003. Under Jimmy's management, the bakery expanded and now distributes within a 50 Kilometre radius and through the major supermarkets. Jimmy's son, Paddy, is now the managing director but Jimmy remained at work up to recent years until ill-health confined his activities. Paddy also succeeded him as chairman of Ballybeggan Park. Mounting losses have placed racing at the venue in serious jeprody, a matter of serious dismay to Jimmy, a passionate and erudite believer that matters would recover. When the shareholders met in the autumn, he put up a brave and thoughtful battle to retain the racecourse. He recieved a standing ovation from the members who had nonetheless voted overwhelmingly to accept the proposals to sell the land. Perhaps his death his cessation of racing in the town, a prospect that caused him considerable pain. He suffered considerably, too, from the illness that ultimately claimed him. As an active man, it curtailed and then stopped him from working, attending games and race meetings and his regular visits to Stoker's Lodge to chat with his friends. Jimmy is survived by his wife, Joan, sons Paddy and David and his daughters Mary and Joan, brothers David (US) and Paddy (Australia), sisters Theresa (Australia), Mary, Joan and DD. He is also mourned by his son-in-law, Gerry Fitzmaurice and his daughters-in-law Mary and Carmel, eight grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Two brothers, Kevin and Mundy, and a sister, Peggy, predeceased him. There were huge crowds to Gleasure's Funeral Home on Sunday, the Mass on and burial at Rath on Monday when guards of honour were provided by members of Austin Stacks GAA Club (on both days), by Tralee Golf Club (Sunday) and Ballybeggan Park on Monday. Jimmy was 76 years of age. Courtesy of the Kerry's Eye 27 March 2008 Tweet

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