It is with sadness that we record the sudden death of Barry O'Riordan, Cringer, Knockainey. A lifelong friend, a great neighbour and an ardent parish man has gone to his reward in Heaven. To say that it came as a shock to his family and to the people of Knockainey would be putting it mildly. more of a thunderbolt to all who knew him. A farmer by profession and an excellent dairyman until he retired some years ago and the farming business is being carried on by his son Finbarr. His other son John is in the drapery business in Limerick city and is also deeply involved with Knockainey GAA of which he is the treasurer. In his younger days, Barry had a great interest in hurling and was a member of the great 1953 junior hurling team who won the county Championship and did our parish proud. He also was interested in horses and could be seen at many of the meetings in the locality, both professional and Point-to-Point. His coffin was draped with the Knockainey black and white colours. A lover of the game of 45 which he played many nights each week. He knew and understood the game better than most. He was, in fact, with his good wife Nora, playing in Athlacca the night before he took ill and died. Barry was a deeply religious man and attended Mass on a daily basis. A man of very even temperament, he was the person every card player sought advice from whenever there was uncertainty about any issue. Playing cards since a young age, and in a family which was a noted house for the game. His late mother Mrs Kathleen O'Riordan was one of the most dedicated card players for miles around. Visitors to the O'Riordan household were invited to make up a six or a nine as the case may be and many rubbers later one wondered where the night had gone. He was one of the men responsible for starting the game of progressive 45 in Knockainey almost 30 years ago. for many years the old school in Bottomstown was the venue for the weekly game. then in 1994 when the new community Centre was ready and opened, the game started there and has remained strongly supported since, thanks to the hard work put in by barry and the committee. he was there every Sunday Night to go through the table cards and announce the winners. He was also the main helper at the game in the FCJ convent Hall in Bruff every Tuesday night. A life long member of the Pioneer total Abstinence Association, he was the proud wearer of the gold pin for 50 years a pioneer. Actively involved in all parish affairs, he helped first with the building of St. Mary's church and later with the Community Centre and many other parish projects. To his wife Nora, his sons John and Finbarr, daughter-in-law Geraldine, grandson Aiden, his sisters Sr. Bernard O'Riordan, Ursuline Convent, Blackrock, Cork, Mrs Kallie Condon, Castlehamhon, Mrs nancy O'Grady and Mrs Peg Byrne, his nieces, and nephews, the family has lost a sincere and caring worker and to the card players of a large area of south Limerick, we say his fair judgements and even handed approach will be missed for al long time. We can be assured that if the game of 45 is played in heaven, Barry O'Riordan will always be part of it. A huge number of people who called to his home attended the removal of his remains from Davern's Funeral Home, Hospital and were present for the ceremonies and burial in the Hill cemetery, were a tribute to a very popular and sincere man in our parish. Chief celebrant of the concelebrated Requiem Mass in St. Mary's church, Knockainey was Barry's first cousin, Canon Frank Duhig, PP, Newcastlewest, assisted by Fr Sean Fennelly, CC, Knockainey and Patrickswell; Fr Tom Ryan, PP, Murroe/Boher; Fr Patrick O'Gorman, PP, Golden, Kilfeacle, Fr Tony Ryan, PP, Doon, Fr John Keating, PP, Knockaderry/Clouncagh. Courtesy of The Limerick Leader. July 2007 Tweet

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