Phelan, Jimmy
August 27, 2010
The Late Jimmy Phelan
It took Jimmy Phelan a long time to return on a permanent basis to his roots, and then it should have taken longer, as he was still in the full bloom of his Autumnal years when the grim reaper came calling unexpectedly. But as he would say himself, "That's life and you play the hand you are dealt".
The sun danced o'er the picturesque Kirk hidden under the hill down in Clodagh. The water in the River Clodagh flowing under it's parapet was chatering over the long smoothed rocks, and everything was idyllic as some 150 people, family and friends of yore came to pay their last respects to an iconic Kilkenny man, and son of Inistioge as his lifelong friend, Fr. Michael Noonan, assisted by another life-long friend, Fr Liam Baron, Fr. McEvoy PP Inistioge, and Jimmy's longtime friend from Manchester, Fr Bernard McDermott celebrated his life, his contribution, his memory. They came from many corners, and highways. Jimmy made a huge contribution, a statistic attested to by Fr. Noonan in his homily.
The former Parish Priest of Portarlington told the congregation about Jimmy's life through their own private friendship. He told of the so many visits to Jimmy and Kath's home in Sale outside Manchester. He spoke of his youthful days around the square in Inistioge. He eulogised about Jimmy's contribution to the Irish diaspora through his work with the CIS in Manchester, his founding of the Kilkenny Men's Association in Manchester, his Travel Agency that he started with his wife, Kath, and their friends, Tommy and Bridie Galvin. He spoke too of Jimmy's great love of Kilkenny hurling, rivalled only by his love of Manchester United, where he was a season ticket holder for most of his life.
"It is fitting that we are all here today to honour Jimmy", he said, "as this is where it all began, and it is only natural that he insisted that his final resting place should be in a place that was so near, dear and close to his every living moment".
The Offertory gifts were brought to the altar by Jimmy's children, James and Eimear who brought the bread and wine and Eddie Keher and Ollie Ryan who brought the Kilkenny and Manchester United jersies.
His ashes were laid to rest in the Parish graveyard behind the Church in Inistioge. So many people came from so many places to honour the great gentleman, and terrific human being. From Manchester they came in numbers, and many of the people who were his dear friends in those days long gone in the Lancashire capital turned up to bid a last adieu.
I was trilled to meet a former colleague from my Aer Lingus days in Manchester, John Kelly and his lovely wife, Maureen. We have not met since 1965- it's an ill wind!
The sympathisers included Mr and Mrs Jim Hynes, Ollie Ryan, his wife Mary and his sisters Mary Margaret and Ann, Jim's cousins, Betty Dillon, May Riordan and Kathleen Baird, Jim and Matt Walsh, Michael and Sean O'Brien, Paddy Sutton and Mary Sutton, the Hartleys from Tullogher but formerly emigrants to Manchester Joe Gaule and many more.
His passing will has caused a great void in the lives of many, but his memory will linger for as long as decent people meet, and practice the art of constructive conversation burning the midnight candle, or imbibing in the coziness of some Inistioge watering hole.
Courtesy of the Kilkenny People
27th August 2010
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