Walsh, Maurice
November 01, 2003
The Late Maurice Walsh
The untimely death of Maurice Walsh sent a wave of grief and dismay through the Carrick community and beyond. He was just short of 49 years of age and had shown an extraordinary degree of courage in battling with a serious illness for almost three years.
Throughout that time he had undergone very demanding courses of medical treatment but continued to work in the family undertaking and garage business between bouts of hospitalisation. His beloved wife Connie (nee Walsh) and their children Darragh, Caolan and Kerrie, have the sympathy of the entire community in the face of such a grievous loss and family anguish.
Maurice's father was the late Joe Walsh, an important figure in Carrick life who passed away on 6th November 1999. His mother Bernie, nee Halpin, now bravely survives the loss of both husband and son. Maurice's bereaved brothers and sisters and Mary (MacDonnell), Aileen (Clery), Bernadette (Walsh), Seamus, Joseph, Raymond and David.
Maurice Walsh was deeply admired and popular in the Carrick region. He was widely known in GAA circles as a fine hurler and footballer who played for the Carrick Swans. In 1972 he played minor hurling for Tipperary and his sporting prowess was well demonstrated by the numbers who flocked from afar to his funeral, along with the eulogy delivered on behalf of the Swan Club by Jimmy Hogan, and by the guard of honour which accompanied and led both the removal and the funeral.
Maurice, like his father, was an undertaker, and in that demanding vocation he shared his late father's gifts of sensitivity, quiet efficiency, and genuine care for the bereaved.
Throughout his serious illness and treatment while strength remained to him he continued to oversee funerals in Carrick, winning the admiration of the town for his astonishing strength of spirit. The quality of the man was also demonstrated in his closeness to those who worked with and for him in the family business, in particular Pat Power and Francis Lyons. Their bond with Maurice was one of true friendship and trust. They miss him now as they would a brother.
Maurice died at home and his removal was from the family funeral home, under the direction of Joe Byrne (Fiddown). Both removal and funeral were among the largest seen in the Carrick in living memory. The funeral Mass on Wednesday 23rd September at St Molleran's in Carrick Beg and packed to capacity and beyond it. The principal celebrants were Fr Jimmy Brown (Rosminian) and Carrick-born Fr Tom Coffey, assisted by twenty-one priests of the Dioceses of Ossory and Waterford and Lismore who had known Maurice in a professional or personal capacity assembled to show their appreciation and express their condolences to family and relatives.
Moving music for the solemn accosion was provided by Helen Hahessy, John Stuart and Tony Egan, and the readings were given by Maurice's sister Bernadette, and his brother-in-law Frank Walsh. The bidding prayers were offered by Seamus Walsh, Barbara Drohan, Rose Walsh, Gay Walsh and Aileen Clery, and the participants in the Offertory procession were Joseph Walsh jnr., Amy Walsh and Jennifer Walsh. In addition to the eulogy delivered by Jimmy Hogan, Maurice's daughter Kerrie read a most touching poem of her own.
Portlaw piper Christopher O'Brien led the huge funeral procession to St Mary's Cemetery, where Fr Brown led the prayers at the graveside. The grieving family wishes to express their appreciation of the support of the whole community, and with particular thanks to An Garda Siochana, local doctors John Flanagan and Laura Molony, consultant Seamus O'Reilly (Cork) and the doctors and staff of St James's Hospital, Dublin. Connie Walsh and family are deeply grateful to their neighbours and friends in Crehana, and to all who sent flowers, cards and messages of sympathy.
May the grieving family find strength and consolation in the love and admiration that Maurice Walsh inspired in all. He was a man of courage, kindness and goodness, taken from us all too soon.
The light of heaven to his soul.
Courtesy of the Kilkenny People
1St November 2003
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