The Late Gerard Bracken Mr Gerard Bracken, Sandymount, Newport, who died at Mayo General Hospital on May 4 2005, was a former editor of The Mayo News and was one of the West's best-known journalists. He was aged 85 years and, for more than 60 years, he was one of Newport's frontline community activists, vigorously promoting and working for all good causes in the area. Gerry, as he was popularly known, died following a short illness. He was a journalist of great integrity and was held in very high esteem by his colleagues in the profession. He was a member of the National Union of Journalists from his entry into journalism and following his retirement 18 years ago, he was awarded honourary life membership of the union, an accolade only given to those who have served the profession with distinction and integrity. In his professional career he reported numerous high profile stories that made headlines around the world including the visit of Princess Grace of Monaco to the home of her ancestors at Drimulra, near Newport, the visit of Beatle John Lennon and Yoko Ono to Mulranny and the tragic drowning of a foreign TV crew working on a project in Clew Bay. He was one of a few journalists trusted with interviews by the Rainier family. For most of his lifetime he was involved with the GAA in the area and was a committee member of Burrishoole GAA since the club was founded. He is a former Registrar of Mayo GAA Board. He became a boy member of Newport Church Choir and continued as a member of the choir right up to the eve of his death. From a early days he had an interest in music and was a member of the Moonlight Serenaders band which played in community halls around the country in the 1940s and 1950s. He also had an interest in amateur drama and theatricals and was responsible for staging many concerts and revues in his native town. He directed and produced local talent shows and took part successfully in The Tops of the Town competition. Mr Bracken was involved in practically all organisations in the area involved in the promotion and development of Newport and used his talents as a journalist to hightligh the problems and the advantage of the area. Following his retirement he continued to cover the Newport/Mulranny area for The Mayo News and his Newport Roundabout which contained all the local news of births, deaths and marriages, sport, social and cultural events became a by-word for the defence of his native place against what he would perceive as 'official neglect'. He used his pen to good effect to promote his area and also to defend and highlight Newport/Mulranny when, in his view, the need arose. A quiet and generally even tempered man, he could be and was trenchant in his criticisms as the occasion demanded. He will be greatly missed by his wife Baby (Elizabeth), his daughters Geraldine (Dublin) and Dolores (Breaffy), sons-in-law Gerard Clarke and Dermot Gannon, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends. He will also be fondly remembered by a wider congregation of Burrishoole people who, irrespective of their location throughout the world, remained in contact with their home place through his weekly reports in The Mayo News. His remains reposed at the family home at Sandymount before being removed to the Newport parish church. A Guard of honour was provided by the Burrishoole GAA Club, but his current and former colleagues in the Mayo News and the NUJ and other local groups. Requiem Mass for the repose of his soul was celebrated by his nephew, Fr David Loftus ( Los Angles) assisted by Fr Eamon Concannon, PP Newport, Canon Arthur Devine and Fr Michael Nohilly. Hymns were sung by the church choir at both the church and cemetery services. Family members read the lessons and grandchildren read the prayers of the faithful. Gerry's daughter, Geraldine and Dolores, brought the offertory gifts to the altar. At the outset of the Mass Fr Concannon paid generous tribute to Gerry for his commitment to his family, his faith and his community. He was the outstanding role mode for those wishing to make a meaningful contribution to their community. In his homily Fr David Loftus recalled the role that Gerry played in many of his happy childhood memories. He was a man who was hugely caring of others and throughout his life he had brought happiness to the lives of very many people. His faith was the great bulwark of his life and he lived that faith in his dealings with others. Sean Staunton, Editor of The Mayo News, also paid tribute to Gerry for his commitment to his family, his faith, his parish and the Mayo News. Gerry's coffin was draped in the Burrishoole GAA colours as he was laid to rest in Kilbride Cemetery, with the GAA and his journalist colleagues again forming a Guard of Honour at the cemetery. Fr. Loftus and Fr Concannon officiated at the graveside and Newport Church Choir sang a sad farewell to a much loved colleague who had given long service to the choir. May his noble and caring soul have peaceful rest. Courtesy of The Mayo News 11th May 2005 Family, Faith, Newport & GAA Sean Staunton, Editor of The Mayo News paid the following tribute to Gerry Bracken at his funeral Mass in St Patrick's Church, Newport Reverend Fathers and friends, I want to say straight away that I regard it as an honour and a privilege to be invited to give tribute to Gerry, a colleague and friend of many years. As many of you will know newspaper deadlines are no respecters of bank holidays. Deadlines have to be met and for as long as I can remember we have worked bank holidays behind closed doors at The Mayo News. When I went to work last Monday, a bank holiday. I found a letter inside the door. Written on the envelope were the words 'Newport News' and up in the top left hand corner was the word "Urgent'. Gerry Bracken, at 85 years of age, and less than 24 hours away from the illness that claim his earthly life, had delivered once again, and with the same commitment to the newspaper the he had given during his time there as Editor for almost 30 years. Any tribute to Gerry would not be complete without reference to his beloved Newport, Burrishoole GAA, his family and friends and his great faith, and of these, his family was, of course, his number one priority. When Liamy McNally asked me to speak about Gerry on Mid West Radio on Wednesday I said that, for Gerry, Newport was the centre of the Universe. I don't think I ever met anybody in my own lifetime who was more committed to their native place than Gerry was to Newport. His love of this place was total and unconditional and he constantly used his journalistic skills to campaign for the betterment of the town and area. It was not unusual for him to censure Government, State agencies and Mayo County Council for what he felt was their neglect of some aspects of Newport's development. But when credit was due for services delivered he was equally generous in his praise for those responsible. Gerry was something of a sporting enthusiast and his special forte was football, not soccer, not rugby, but Gaelic football. And as far as he was concerned the greatest exponents of the art of Gaelic football were the teams attached to Burrishoole GAA Club. It was indeed fitting that as his removal took place from his Sandymount home, the Guard of Honour flanking the hearse was led by the officers, members and players of Burrishoole GAA Club. When it came to match reports, Gerry was always regarded as a journalist of the highest integrity, but if he displayed any little professional weakness, it was in his reporting of matches in which Burrishoole were involved. They never seemed to play a bad game, even when they lost. Indeed, as far as he was concerned, they were incapable of playing a bad game. I don't have to tell anybody here that family was of huge importance to Gerry. Baby was the great love of his life and, over the years, they faced trials and tribulations together, they rejoiced in the good times, they delighted in the successes of their children and grandchildren. Baby was Gerry's tower of strength, the good listener, the gentle adviser, the day to day companion who went with him for the drive in the car. She was his North, South, East and West; she was truly for years on end the wind beneath his wings. His pride in his daughters, Geraldine and Dolores, knew no bounds and that also carried through to their husbands Gerard and Dermot and his grandchildren. Indeed while he cherished all of them equally, it was a source of great joy to him that his grandson, Colm, also chose to make his career in journalism. Gerry also took great pride in the achievements of his extended family and special among those were all the Bracken namesakes, near neighbours Kathleen and Christy Loftus and their children and Kathleen's sister Evelyn, her husband Andy and their children. He was immensely proud of all of them and I am quite certain that, if Gerry had been given any say in the recent Papal Election, it would be Fr David Loftus and not Cardinal Ratzinger who would be currently occupy the Papal apartment in The Vatican. While Gerry would not want to be described as any kind of Holy Joe, he was, in fact, a man of very deep faith with a Christian value system that he acted out in virtually every aspects of his daily life. This beautiful church was the focus of his faith and prayer life. How many times have we read reports in The Mayo News about ceremonies in this Church, the Christmas star shining for miles across the countryside, the beautiful singing of the Newport Church Choir to which he and Baby contributed so much. For him, St Patrick's Church Choir was among the best in the land and having listened to it today, few would doubt such a claim. There is so much more that could be said of Gerry but I am conscious that time is against me and that we must begin to say our farewells. Although today is a time of great sadness for Baby and the family. It is a also the celebration of a life lived in service to others and to God. A good and honourable man, a real gentleman in the true sense of that term, has departed this life, a devoted husband, a loving and much loved father and grandfather, a great community man who countless voluntary efforts over the years did, indeed make a difference. Gerry was in all aspects "the good and faithful servant' who gave so generously to others with ever counting the cost to himself. May flights of angles wing his happy soul to the light of Heaven. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis. Courtesy of The Mayo News 11th May 2005 Tweet

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