Dunne, Leo
October 16, 2012
Last Saturday in crisp October sunshine, Mountmellick laid to rest one of its finest citizens. Such was the contribution that Leo Dunne, aged 62, made to his community, that the guards of honour stretched from Anngrove Stud all the way in to St. Joseph's Church, when he was removed from his Derryguile home on Friday evening.
At his funeral Mass on Saturday, the church was again packed to the door, as the whole town paused to mark his passing. Leo was a founder member of Mountmellick Macra, a board member of Mountmellick Credit Union, a proud Fianna Fáil campaigner, a member of the IFA, the Ivy Chapel committee and the Derryguile Kyletalisha residents association, and indeed a strong GAA supporter, having played for The Rock in his youth. His fellow employees of Glanbia were also guards of honour.
Both schools in the town offered their parking facilities, while Glanbia and the Credit Union closed. Leo was a dedicated farmer, and a loving father to Fergus and Ursula, and husband to Sheelagh Coyle, who gave an eloquent and moving eulogy at his Mass. She said Leo would be delighted to see the large crowds, and thanked their neighbours in Derryguile for their support over the past year, as Leo battled cancer. Though he wasn't well enough to work on his farm or many of his voluntary causes in recent times, Sheelagh assured all Leo "directed proceedings" from his chair. One of his last contributions was to get on the phone and gather up most of the prises for an upcoming Macra raffle.
"If someone thrusts a ticket into your hand, perhaps you could buy it and think of Leo," she said. She said Leo was delighted to be at the All Ireland qualifier this year, when Laois beat Meath. "He said it was a better tonic than any chemo," she said. She recalled being advised as a young lay teacher coming to the St Joseph's GNS in 1974 to 'join Macra, there's nothing else to do here', where she met her future husband.
Just twelve weeks ago he had walked their daughter Ursula up the aisle for her wedding. Leo's love of farming was represented at the altar by sods from his childhood farm in Graigue, and his farm in Derryguile. Raffle tickets marked his contribution to fundraising and voluntary work, and a Laois jersey and a Macra magazine were essential too.
His niece, songwriter Emer Dunne sang a beautiful version of Liam Lawton's 'You are at my side', and Sheelagh's sister and brother, Mary and Pearse, and St. Joseph's Sunday choir also sang. Leo was laid to rest at Joseph's Cemetery, where all joined in a chorus of 'Lovely Laois', and afterwards, Mountmellick Macra hall was the most fitting place for all to say their final goodbye, when 350 people sat down to a meal, and many agreed Leo would of found it an ideal opportunity for a raffle.
(Text courtesy of Leinster Express 16/10/2012)
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