Late John Walsh
People throughout The Rower and New Ross were deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of John Walsh from Kiltown, The Rower.
John, aged 69, passed away peacefully at Aut Even Hospital in Kilkenny on Sunday, October 4th, surrounded by his loving family.
A native of Tinnislatty, The Rower, John was one of six children to Margaret and Laurence Walsh, with brothers Jim, Paddy and Martin and sisters Sr Mary and the late Sr Enda (Peggy).
He was educated both in The Rower and later in New Ross, after which he went to work with Conran’s in Rathnure. He subsequently came back to New Ross and worked in Doyle’s Grocery and Bar on Quay Street before taking up a position as manager in Joyce’s in Graiguenamanagh.
John will be best known in New Ross as the proprietor of Walsh’s Shop on the Quay, which he proudly opened in 1978. There he ran a very successful business until 1999, when he retired. He was a very popular and well-liked business man in town, where he treated all his customers as friends and loved catching up and chatting about farming and hurling.
He married his loving wife Breda (nee Roche), a native of Inistioge, in 1968, and together they raised a family of six children, with sons Lawrence, James, John, Martin and Pádraig and one daughter, Bríd. John and Breda bought their own farm in Kiltown, The Rower, which they worked on and ran successfully. John was a hardworking man and would consider his day off working on the family farm. He had a great interest in breeding bulls and won many awards at various agricultural shows around the country. Another great interest of his was horses. He always kept horses on the farm, bred them and kept a close eye on the racing scenes and different breeds. He could also be seen at various card games in Wexford.
An avid hurler from his youth, John had a great passion for GAA, in which he excelled. He played on the senior county final winning team with the Rower/Inistioge in 1968. His skills as half-back on the field also saw him picking up a Leinster Senior Medal in 1967 with Kilkenny. Throughout his life he followed the successes of the Kilkenny hurling team and he was thrilled in September when they brought home the four-in-a-row title.
However, his family always came first and foremost in his life. He was a true family man, who dedicated his life to his wife and six children. In later years he was blessed with the arrival of grandchildren Caitlin, Éadaoin, Ciara, Eve-Marie, John, Fintan, Rachel, Áine and Éamon, and they adored their granddad. In his latter few days, his wife and children, along with his brothers and sister (who flew home from Kenya to be with him) were by his side in hospital each day. John will always be remembered by all as a gentle, kind and friendly man. He always saw the best in people and was never one to utter a bad word about anyone.
His family are indebted to Dr Peter J Faul and the wonderful staff in Aut Even Hospital for the care and attention John received there, and also to Dr Rory O’Donnell and Bon Secours Hospital in Glasnevin, and Dr Val Lonergan, who helped him through his illness.
The high attendance at his removal and funeral mass at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in The Rower was a testament to the high esteem in which John was held. Fr Seamus McEvoy, Monsignor Jim Cassin, Fr Liam Barron, Fr Liam Cassin, Fr Patrick Comerford, Fr John Lyng and Fr Tom Murphy celebrated his Requiem Mass, and fittingly a guard of honor was provided by the Rower/Inistioge GAA Club.
John will be deeply missed by his loving wife, children, daughters-in-law Helen, Carmel and Deirdre, grandchildren, brothers, sister, brothers and sisters-in-law, relatives and many friends.
May he rest in peace.
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