One of Wexford's greatest handballers sadly passed away after a short battle with illness. Seamus Dempsey who lived at 3 St. Enda's Terrace, died in St. Vincents hospital Dublin on Saturday morning, September 20th. He was 69 years of age. Originally from Ballygoman in Barntown, Seamus was a top class inter-county handball player in his youth, and was on the Wexford team that won the very first National Handball Championship in 1970. Among his team mates at the time were Jimmy King, Seamus Buggy and Richie Lyng. He was an excellent handballer from a young age, and represented Wexford in all grades from juvenile to senior. He worked all his life in Telecom Eireann as a foreman, and as a result he knew every highway in the county. He was an affable and well known man, whose other passions included darts and fishing. He played darts for his local team in St. Mary Joe's while every weekend would be spent fishing in Aughrim in Wicklow. He was a great husband, father and grandfather. His six grandchildren were the apples of his eye. He was a man of great faith, and he never went to sleep any night without a prayer to Padre Pio. He is survived by his wife Eithne; children, Alan, Gavin, Padraig, Noel and Allison; brother, Paddy; sisters, May Betty, Anna and Kitty; grandchildren, sun in law, brother in law, sister in law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. His remains were interred in St. Ibar's Cemetery, Castlebridge on Monday following 11 a.m. Requiem Mass in St. Ibar's Church, Castlebridge. Courtesy of the Wexford People Wednesday September 24th 2008 Tweet

Most Read Stories