Cooper, Jim
November 12, 2008
James (Jim) Cooper of Kilgarvan, Taghmon will be remembered as a man of intelligence who lived a simple but enriched life. Jim, who resided in the cottage at Kilgarvan where he was born and reared, died in Waterford Regional Hospital following a short illness. He would have celebrated his 88th birthday.
He worked on the Watchorn farm in Kilgarvan for over 60 years and even after his retirement, he continued to call to the family every day. At his funeral Mass in Carroreigh on Sunday, David Watchorn paid a moving tribute to a man who was highly-respected in the community in which he lived all his life.
Jim was a man of many talents, being accomplished in hurling and football and athletics in his younger days and appearing on stage in countless amateur dramatic productions. He was a member of Carroreigh Amateur Drama Society and was one of the cast that won the Echo Cup and the Canon Hayes Memorial Cup with The Black Stranger in the All-Ireland Drama Final in 1959.
He was an expert hand at darts and won a huge amount of tournaments and trophies all over south Leinster and further afield. He also excelled at pool, skittles and rings and was very artistic. For relaxation, he painted water colour pictures and he was a terrific gardener.
He was also very fit and would think nothing years ago of cycling to an All-Ireland Final in Croke Park. A highly intelligent man, Jim read thousands upon thousands of books during his lifetime. About a year ago, Jim agreed to be interviewed about his life on South East Radio. Jim who was pre-deceased by his brother, Jack will be sadly missed not just be his relatives and the Watchorn family to whom he was very close, but by the wider local community. Burial took place in Kilgarvan Cemetery following funeral Mass in St. Garvans Church, Carroreigh. May he rest in peace.
- Wexford People, November 12th 2008
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