The death has occurred unexpectedly at University College Hospital Galway on Monday August 13th, of Mr Liam Campbell, Church Road, Castlerea. Deceased was a very popular person, and was involved in many organisations in the community. He was a teacher by profession, and taught at Castlerea Vocational School from 1968 until it amalgamated with the Convent of Mercy to form Ceastlera Community School in 1993. He retired in 2004. During his time in both schools he always took a great interest in his pupils, so much so that they held him in high esteem. Even when they had left the school, he would always ask of their whereabouts, how they were getting on in life, it is at home and abroad, and he as always glad that they were doing well. He was also very involved with football in both schools and kept up that involvement with the community school teams after he retired. In his youth he was a good footballer himself. He played fullback for Castlerea in the 1960s and played minor football with Cloonfad in 1959. He also played on the Roscommon county minor football team. His proudest moment however, was when he played full-back on the St. Jarlath's College senior football team that won the All Ireland football title in 1960. His two corner backs on that occasion were the late Enda Colleran and John Morley. Indeed it showed the high esteem that Liam was held by this team when nine members of that winning team, Seamus Leydon, Tony Ryan, Pat Donnellan, Christy Tyrell, Pat Sheridan, Ger Prendergast, Tom Byrne, Tommie Coleman and Eamon Slattery flanked his remains on the way to the church on Wednesday evening. Liam was very involved in GAA activities in the Castlerea St. Kevin's club and the O'Rourke Centre. He was president from 1981 to 1984 and was vice chairman from 1975 to 1979. He ran the bar at the centre for many years on a voluntary basis and indeed he made many friends for the club. while performing his duties he never insulted anyone, for which he was highly respected. He was a great supporter of the club lotto, and each week he would always collect in the region of 40 members. He will be sadly missed by the club. Liam, who was a native of Ballinlough, was brought up in the family pub business and ran his own business with his wife Joan in The Horse and Jockey, Castlerea, for a number of years. He was a member of the Roscommon County VEC for many years for which he always had the best interests of his fellow teachers and pupils at heart. He was also a member of the Castlerea Community School Board of Management for many years. He was a founder member of the Castlerea Credit Union and was a member of the board and a voluntary worker right up until his passing. He was also a member of the board and a voluntary worker right up until his passing. He was also a member of the Castlerea Fianna Fail Cumman. It showed the high esteem in which Liam and his family are held that his funeral, on both days, was one of the largest seen in Castlerea for sometime. His remains were removed from Gaynor's Funeral Home on Wednesday evening to St. Patrick's Church, Castlerea and following Mass of the Resurrection on Thursday morning, burial took place in St. Joseph's Cemetery Castlerea. A guard of honour was provided on both days, by his colleagues at Castlerea Community and St. Joseph's Vocational School, The Credit Union, Castlerea St. Kevin's GAA Club, Castlerea Fianna Fail Cumman, including Deputy Michael Finneran, Cllr Tony Waldron and the Mayor of Roscommon County Council John Kelly. He is survived by his wife, Joan; daughters, Amanda, Lorraine, Judith and Sheena; grandchildren, Anna, Cathriona and Eoghan; sisters Mary, Peggy and Kay; brother Padraig; sons-in-law, nieces, relatives and friends and colleagues. Courtesy of The Roscommon Herald. August 2007 Tweet

Most Read Stories