It is with a heavy heart that I learned of the passing of Michael (Mick) Dunne after a long illness bravely borne and though very difficult at times he never complained instead he focused on the good things in life determined not to let his illness better him in order to return home to his loving wife, family and friends.
Mick was a simple man and I mean that in the best way possible, uncomplicated, what you got was what you saw. He was one of Nature's Gentlemen which he expressed himself through the three great loves of his life his wife and family, his religion and his sport Kilkenny hurling.
Mick attended to every need of his wife of over 50 years Emily, his daughter Mary, son Micheal and five grandchildren, extended family and friends.
Both Mick, Emily and family although living in St. Mary's Parish were regular attendees at the 7.30pm mass each Saturday in St. Canice's Church. Mick came from a very old Kilkenny family whose history dates back prior to 1804 when they were evicted from the family farm in the Tullaroan area of Co Kilkenny.
His grandfather James Dunne then brought his family to Kilkenny where they settled in Greenshill and he worked on the Scott Dove Estate on the Castlecomer road now the New Park Hotel. It was as a result of this move that Mick's father Jim Dunne also secured employment on the estate prior to his departure to CIE. It was inevitable that the young man Mick, his brother John (Sean) also be apprenticed as a gardeners and which was to bring Mick and Kilkenny much success later on in life. His brother Gerry also had a huge interest in nature and farmed not far from the home place in Green Street.
Mick was the Maintenance man in the CBS primary school and was everybody's friend. He kept the school meticulously clean and manicured with the most beautiful flowerbeds reminiscent of the Phoenix Park. Mick got a job in Kilkenny Corporation after being interviewed by the then progressive County Manager Paddy Donnelly and Borough Engineer Mr. John Frawley (RIP).
Mick having grasped the opportunity realised that funds were very scarce in the Corporation and started his first nursery to propagate and grow his flowers in the Old Market Yard before moving to Evans Home behind the current library on John's Quay where with more space and his innovative growing techniques he continued to grow up to 60,000 plants annually. Mick almost single handedly won major accolades for his much loved native Kilkenny by winning a major award in 1982 in the Prestigious European competition Entente Florale (Prix d'honneur) beating thousands of European Cities (2,000 in France alone) with his ever increasing beautifully coloured flower beds, arrangements and the first time to introduce hanging flower baskets to the streets capes of the city. Kilkenny under his stewardship won many a Tidy Towns Competition winning national notoriety as the country's tidiest large town. Mick's army of gardeners expanded over the years with his success and it gave him great pleasure when the boys from his Alma Mater, the CBS joined him for work experience. One of his understudies from that time Val Doyle showed great promise and through his education and learning from the master craftsman joined the ranks of the Borough Council Garden team. Val to this day still tends to Mick's flowers no more so than when he was in hospital for which the Dunne family are extremely grateful.
Mick's love and knowledge of hurling knew no bounds and he travelled on Seamus Delaney's bus following the team around the country. On the morning of his burial I bumped into the Kilkenny GAA County Board Secretary Jimmy Walsh who recounted knowing Mick the Gentleman not only for his jovial comments from the side line of many a hurling pitch but also as a mentor who travelled to the deep south of Kilkenny Tullogher to advise the local Tidy Towns Committee on planting techniques, type of flowers and general presentation of their communities. This labour of love Mick carried out all over Kilkenny and his visited 26 towns and villages in persuit of a more beautiful environment improving their results by up to 20%.
Years ago when Mick was planting flower beds in a socially deprived area of the city the wits and wags were proved right initially when his good work was destroyed by the youths of the locality but Mick with his wisdom was undeterred, he sought out "the divild" and got them to replant the flowers which grew to maturity blossoming wonderfully. Mick had the last laugh never having to chase the young lads again who were proud of their work and guarded the flowerbeds thereafter.
Mick was a quiet man and won other awards especially one for bravery from Comhairle na Mhuire Gaile on June 23, 1976 when Mick risked his life and limb to save and recover a man from the River Nore. While working on flower beds near the river he heard a commotion and on investigation found a man in distress in the river, Mick responded immediately and selflessly jumped into the swollen river to bring the man who by that time was floating face down to safety eventually being exhausted himself was assisted by others on the bank. Mick was commended by Justice Keenan Johnson in Kilkenny Court House for his brave deed in saving the man's life.
Finally I would like to convey my sincerest sympathies to the Dunne Family on their loss and Kilkenny's loss of a "friend and pal" to use words frequently used by the man himself and may the Green sod of St. Kieran's Cemetery rest gently on this One of Nature's Gentlemen. Like all good flowers they grow, flourish, wither away and die in the cold dark days of wintertime and so it was to be for our Mick.

Kilkenny People, December 6th 2013 Tweet

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