Richie Grace, forever a family man Always smiling, always ready to help, forever a family man. That's how to remember Richie Grace. Generous and honest, he had a heart of gold and a wicked sense of humour. His cheeky grin was usually flanked by a glint in his eye and a witty comment. But he was a great man to do a turn for somebody and everybody who knew him loved him. "It's no problem," he'd say and nothing was ever a problem to him, not even the cancer he battled for the last three years of his life. Richie was born in 1943 to Maureen and Paddy Grace of Esker, Newpark. Adorned by the couple, he was later a shining star and idol for his younger siblings in what was to become a large and loving family. The first of nine children, two boys and six girls would follow. With GAA strong in the family it was natural that Richie was soon pucking a sliotar around, most notably with Newpark Sarsfields with whom he won the Junior Hurling Championship in 1971. Considered by teammates to be a 'brilliant' player and 'beautiful stylist' on the pitch, off it he continued to support all city clubs and attended as many GAA games as he could get to usually with good friend Kevin Delaney. He took great pride in latter years watching nephews Tommy Walsh take his place among a constantly victorious senior hurling team. Not even his illness could deter him from being in Croke Park last September when his county lifted the Liam McCarthy for the third consecutive year. And, after securing some of the best seats in the stadium, he even managed to get his face on TV. But GAA wasn't Richie's only passtime and there are many stories of his golfing prowess, even if those stories were usually told by himself! A self styled Seve Balestarios, he'd quip that space would have to be made to hold all his forthcoming golfing trophies. It soon became apparent that a drawer would do as golf balls and socks were the mainstay of his prizes! The life and soul of any party, Richie was always found in the thick of things and would take his place as entertainer, be it through singing, spinning yarns or some interesting moves on the dancefloor. Though he had friends in a number of hostelries, Lenihan's was where he was most likely to amble into, perch atop a tall stool and get stuck into the story telling, aided by the odd tipple. All fun aside, Richie was hardworking and over the years was employed at Kilkenny Products, Runtelrad in Thomastown and Tube Rollers in Callan. Even during his retirement he refused to sit still and he applied his trade with Michael Lyng car sales, where he was in good company. But the real number one in Richie's life was his family. He met and married Margo, who would prove to be his soulmate and with whom he was due to celebrate their 40th anniversary this summer. Richie and Margo were inseparable, they were very much in love and completed their family with two daughters, Sandra and Rhonda. Together they built a warm family home in Shandon Park, surrounded by great neighbours. It was a home all loved to visit and generations have carved a path to the infamous "sweet press'. Though they travelled the globe together, they're most revered home from home was in Dunmore East, where many happy family summers and occasional weekends were held in 'The Wagon', where they'd be joined by Margo's sister Tessie and her husband Kevin. Richie's family was added to in recent years with three of the biggest joys in the form of his grandchildren Leah, Shane and Andy. He adored each of them and they too equally adored their granddad. He would have been proud to see them carry out duties with dignity and love during a packed funeral at St John's Church. They read prayers of the faithful alongside other family members while there was input from across the family including daughters Sandra and Rhonda, nephews David Mulcahy and Shane Ward, nieces Laura Dowling and Edwina Grace, sister Nuala and sister-in-law Tessie Delaney. As testament to how loved Richie was hundreds turned out at each stage of his funeral, not least to bring him to his final place of rest alongside his parents in Foulkstown Cemetery. Richie is survived by wife Margo, daughters Sandra and Rhonda, sisters Angela, Nuala, Rena, Mary, Ursula and Frankie and brothers Paddy and Terry, Sandra's husband Tadgh, Rhonda's partner Shane and little Jack, grandchildren Leah, Shane and Andy, nieces and nephews, in-laws and a wide range of extended family and friends who all loved him very much and will forever hold him close in their hearts. "And when the final whistle blows, he will not ask your name or if you won or if you lost but how you played the game." Richie not only played the game, but he played it in a way and was in a different league. - Courtesy of The Kilkenny People, 6th February 2009 Tweet

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