McCarney, Gerard (Gerry)
August 13, 2013Born on 1 April 1939, Gerry McCarney was one a family of 12 who grew up in the Coolock area of Dublin. He came to Hacketstown in 1961 to work as an electrician on the building of an extension to St Patrick's College, Kiltegan. Gerry married Kathleen Howard from Slate Row, Hacketstown and got a job working with Billy Byrne before later starting up his own electricial business, which has been passed down two generations.
The McCarneys lived at 4 Marian Terrace for a long number of years. Gerry had purchased a parcel of land in Minvaud and, being gifted with his hands, built his own house there some nine years ago. He engaged in farming and forestry, which added greatly to his enjoyment of country life.
He was a distinguished hurler and footballer with his local club, Craobh Chiarain, playing with men of the calibre of the late Des and Lar Foley. He won Dublin junior and intermediate championships and made it onto the Dublin intermediate hurling panel.
After impressing locals with his football skills in games on 'the Terrace', Gerry was invited by the late JJ Doyle - for many years 'Mr Clonmore GAA' - to play for the club and he jumped at the chance, as long as he could continue his career in Dublin, which was not uncommon in those days.
On the playing field, Gerry was on the Clonmore teams that were beaten in county senior football finals in 1963 and '65, at a time when the wearers of the red and green were one of the most feared teams in the county. He also played hurling in Hacketstown in the 1960s.
Known for his quick thinking and cleverness, Gerry was a very dangerous forward who could always be relied upon to do the unexpected. While championship success eluded him, Gerry won a number of tournaments with Clonmore - in the days of knock-out championships, tournaments were very important and drew huge attendances.
Football was tough back then, with no red and yellow cards, and Gerry often recalled 'battles' with sides who had reputations for taking no prisoners. But he maintained none of those teams relished playing Clonmore, who had plenty of strong men of their own. Gerry continued to give sterling service to the club during the lean times of the late 1960s and early 70s, and when his playing days were over, he turned his attention to working for the club off the pitch. He was heavily involved in developing the newly acquired grounds at Woodside and was rewarded for his efforts with the first Clubman of the Year award in 1974. When Clonmore set up a juvenile committee in 1978, Gerry was the first chairman, with Eddie Forde as secretary, and he did trojan work for the juveniles over a long number of years.
Gerry's grandchildren are also showing great promise, with three grandsons - Kevin, David and Conor - winning minor/junior medals with Clonmore in 2011, and all the younger grandchildren being involved with the juveniles. The last honour bestowed on Gerry McCarney by Clonmore was in 2012, when he was a thoroughly deserving recipient of the club's Hall of Fame award at the annual dinner in February of that year.
Since the mid-1970s, Gerry, along with wife Kathleen, did great work not just for the GAA club but for the community in general. They were involved in athletics, soccer, community games and other sporting occasions.
Gerry campaigned for Healthy Hacketstown, which benefited most clubs and the two schools in the town. He was one of about ten locals who toiled for many years to finance the building of the community centre, and he was treasurer from 1980 right up until his death. He worked with the town council and housing committee, the tidy towns committee and helped develop St John's Hall. He was tireless in his work for the 1798 commemoration, including moving the cross in Hacketstown and for the past 40 years, he helped erect and light the town Christmas tree.
Gerry did huge work behind the scenes without ever seeking recognition and continuously worked for the welfare of the local people. The McCarneys had a family of two sons and four daughters, most of whom have followed in their parents ' footsteps and are heavily involved in community work.
Gerry enjoyed nothing better than going to the Dying Cow pub for the Thursday night Irish music sessions, at which he had his own chair and where members of the McCarney family sang and played. His love of music was evident throughout his life but was a particular source of comfort when his health began to fail. Gerry exhibited great pride when viewing his family partaking in any event, whether sporting or musical.
Prior to his last illness, Gerry had made an excellent recovery from surgery for stomach cancer. Sadly, around last Christmas, illness returned in the form of two brain tumours to which he eventually succumbed. Gerry attended Tallaght Hospital and St Luke's Hospital, Rathgar for treatment but was mostly nursed at home by his loving family and by the Carlow/Kilkenny Homecare team.
He will be remembered with great affection in his adopted Hacketstown as an individual who always took a positive view of things, who always saw the glass as being half-full, as a man who wanted to get things done - and he was prepared to roll up his sleeves to ensure they were done.
Noel Simpson of Noel J Simpson, Electrical Wholesalers and Distributors, Leeson Close, Dublin said he had met Gerry in the late sixties.
"When I started my own business in 1970 Gerry did business with me, as he said he would, and continued to do so for many years."
Noel continued "For a Dub, Gerry took to country living and immersed himself in the community.
"He also served on the AECI (Association of Electrical Contractors Ireland) Council. When things came up that seemed a bit difficult Gerry would chip in with 'sure let's give it a try anyway' and more often than not it worked out."
Gerry reposed at home before removal of his remains on Tuesday 23 July to St Brigid's Church, Hacketstown, where his requiem funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr Jim McCormack, PP, assisted by Fr Andy Keating. Many members of the McCarney family joined other musicians and singers in the choir for the Mass.
Members of the juvenile cul camp made a guard of honour outside the club grounds, while senior club members formed a guard of honour to the church and from the church to the cemetery.
At the start of Mass, symbols of Gerry's life were brought forward to the altar. They were a tin whistle, symbolising his love of music, a sprig from the forestry he planted in Minvaud, a cushion with the caption 'Grandads are for loving and for fixing things' to reflect that family was the most important element of his life, a hurley to represent his love of sport, tools reflecting his work as an electrician and his love of working with wood, a copy of Hacketstown Plan indicated that he was very much a community man and a photo of the loving family man that Gerry's family remember.
Donal O'Keeffe and Kevin McCarney did the readings, while Prayers of the Faithful were read by Eoin Byrne, Michael Duffy, Michael Willoughby, Sandra McCarney, David McCarney, Ciara Johnson and Caoimhe Byrne. The offertory gifts were presented by Dolly Whelan and Dolores Farrell.
Gerry's children and grandchildren made up most of the group and choir, and it seemed they knew well how Gerry would have liked this final event to be conducted.
In a eulogy, Gerry's son Ger raised a laugh on a sombre occasion with an anecdote concerning his dad. Ger recalled playing in a junior football tournament against Knockananna when he was 16. Clonmore were four points down with time ebbing fast. The Clonmore sideline acted by replacing Ger with his father, Gerry, who was then in his early 40s. Gerry scored 1-2 as Clonmore won the game and the tournament.
Jim Doyle also spoke to the congregation about the great contribution Gerry had made to the community of Hacketstown.
Following requiem Mass, Gerry was laid to rest in Hacketstown Cemetery, with Fr McCormack reciting the final prayers at the graveside. Musicians from the Dying Cow session played, while mourners sympathised with the McCarney family.
Gerry is deeply mourned by his wife Kathleen, sons Ger and Conor, daughters Carol, Deirdre (Byrne), Ciara (Johnson) and Nina, by his ten grandchildren (Niall, Kevin, David, Conor, Caoimhe, Eoin, Tadhg, Daire, Aoibh and Matt), brothers (Owen and Thomas), sisters (Vera, Carmel, Marie and Dolores), extended family, his colleagues and many friends.
Officiating priest, Fr McCormack, who, glancing towards Gerry's coffin during the funeral Mass, had the last word. He said there would be no more trips to St James's no more treatment in St Luke's and no more waiting for MRI scans.
"May you now rest in peace Gerry." Tweet
