The Late Billy Quirke The well-known and controversial Enniscorthy journalist, Billy Quirke who died last week at the age of 66, proved himself strongly independent up to the last. One of the final pieces of writing he completed, after being diagnosed with a serious illness, was his own obituary. Mr. Quirke, who died at Wexford General Hospital last Thursday, had been ill for some time. He is survived by his wife, Mary; son, Joseph; daughter, Mary, grandchildren, Niamh and John William, his sisters, brothers, relatives and friends. He entered journalism after leaving school in 1955 having had articles published in the Irish Echo, GAA publications and the Enniscothy Echo. He later joined the People Newspapers, where he was a staff member for almost 35 years. As a GAA reporter, he covered football and hurling championships and leagues at all grades in which Wexford was involved during that period. He was also heavily involved in news coverage at local and national levels, serving as correspondent for the Irish Independent, Irish Press, Irish Times, The Cork Examiner (now Irish Examiner) and RTE. He was founder and honourary secretary for many years of Enniscorthy Angling Association founded by Seosamh O Cuinneagain following the successful 'Fish In' campaign to gain angling rights on the Slaney for local people. He was also a founder of the long defunct Slaney Boating Association, a founder and first secretary of Enniscorthy Squash Club and of County Wexford Squash Club. He was interested in protecting the Slaney and gave evidence at a Public Inquiry in Carlow against an application to remove 10 million gallons of water a day from the river at Rathvilly. He was made an honourary member of St. Catherine's Youth Club in Enniscorthy for his work in support of youth services. In 1980, he was elected National President of the Adoptive Parents Association. A year later, he was one of the founders and became the first national president of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). At the time, he resigned his membership of the National Union of Journalists and joined the Institute of Journalists in protest at the 'women's right to choose' stance of the union. Billy Quirke's fiercely-held opinions and strong-willed temperament brought him into regular conflict with various organisations and individuals during his lifetime. Following his resignation from the NUJ, his colleagues in the unionised houses of People Newspaper and Independent Newspapers 'blacked' his copy. He took both companies and the NUJ to the high court and won a case with damages for the right of any employee to be in a trade union of his /her choice or none at all. While writing articles for the Echo, Wexford GAA Co. Board officers threatened to boycott the newspaper because of criticisms expressed in a series of interviews he conducted with GAA personalities of the past. In 1994, having covered local authority issues for many years, he took a declared stand against 'sleeze' and gained election to Enniscorthy Urban Council as an Independent candidate. He sat on the Council for five years and described it as the worst experience of my life'. On Saturday evening last, Enniscorthy town councillers gathered to pass a vote of sympathy to his family, against the wishes of the deceased. It was Cllr. Keith Doyle who recalled that the maverick journalist gave clear instructions of the time of the funeral of another public representative that he did not want any speech making or any councillors following his hearse when the time came for his funeral. As it happened, without the man himself to keep them in order, the Town Council followed established precedent, interrupting the weekend to hold a special meeting. Six of the nine councillors were resent for the proceedings with apology tendered by Peter Byrne, Noirin Sheridan and Paddy Kavanagh. Cllr. Tom Moorehouse recalled that he had his ups and downs with Mr Quirke who, he reckoned, he spent 40 years in the chamber before he was ever elected. He joined in offering his sympathy to the family of a man who suffered a great deal during his final illness. Cllr. Jackser Owens was among the batch of new councillors returned to the Council in 1994 along with Billy Quirke. He noted that away from the demands of journalism, he won medals for junior football, junior hurling and senior hurling, ' He called a spade a spade and didn't pull his punches', said Cllr. Owens. Cllr. John O'Rourke's abiding memory of the writer cum public representative dated from his successful election campaign of 1994 when he witnessed him in action at the microphone of his sound system. Parked in a suitable spot, he could be heard bellowing from all angles about the wrongs and injustices visited on the people of Ennicorthy by so-called bureaucrats. He was a character, said Cllr O'Rourke. Cllr. Keith Doyle remembered a larger than life character who was always outspoken, flamboyant and straightforward. 'He had a mandate to put his views and though we may not always have liked what he said, he stuck to his mandate. He was a legend and he stuck to his point of view very forcibly'. Cllr. Sean Og Doyle joined in the expressions of regret to the former councillor's family and friends. It was agreed to donate the cost of a wreath to the hospice home care organisation. Councillors stood in prayerful silence after passing the vote of sympathy. His funeral Mass took place at Tagoat Church, followed by cremation in Dublin. Courtesy of the Wexford People June 2003 Tweet

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