Dowling, Michael
June 01, 2011Together they made many friends and people were always welcome at their home. They had five children -four girls and one boy. Sadly, their only son Maurice died shortly after birth.
Michael was a devoted and loving husband and father, grandfather and great-grandfather and he was dearly loved by all.
He was a diligent and adept dairy farmer, meticulously building up the family farm through hard work and solid commitment. He was known and loved by his neighbours for his willingness to help and 'comhar' with others when it was needed.
His red Massey Ferguson tractor was a familiar sight on the Mail Road and indeed he was always delighted to stop, chat and "hop ball' as he would say, with his neighbours and friends.
From his very early days as a young man, commitment and involvement in voluntary community work was an important part of his life. His philosophy on life was founded on a selfless desire to make a real difference to the world he lived in.
He was deeply involved and gave generously of his time to a wide and varied set of organisations and voluntary groups. One of the closest to his heart was his involvement as a founding member of Aras Mhuire Nursing Home in Listowel in April, 1971.
It was a source of great pride to him that elderly people in North Kerry would have access to a home away from home in the latter years of their lives. He remained chairman of the Aras Mhuire committee up until the time of his death.
He held various committee positions in community groups over the years and he was the beating heart of many of North Kerry's most important organisations like the Listowel Community Centre, St John's Theatre and Arts Centre, Parkinson's Association, Listowel Cultural and Literary Centre, Macra Na Feirme, Glor na Gael, Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, Listowel Emmets GAA Club and Clounmacon Community Centre to mention but a few.
As chairman of the Listowel branch of Comhaltas Ceolteoiri Eireann for 40 years he was credited with bringing 13 of the 14 All-Ireland Fleadhanna to Listowel, which is widely considered in Fleadh Ceol folklore as the home of the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil.
His huge commitment to traditional Irish music, song, dance and culture lasted all his life. On the eve of his death, he spent a very happy hour listening to one of his grand-daughters play a selection of Irish traditional tunes on concertina. He himself was a beautiful singer and loved nothing more than to deliver a recitation, tell a few yarns, play his bodhran or the spoons. Over his lifetime he performed in plays, pantomimes, Scor competitions and the stage was a second home for him.
He brought his huge enthusiasm and energy to the Listowel Harvest Festival and he will be well remembered as one of the organisers and compere extraordinaire of the All-Ireland Wrenboys Competitions held annually on the Friday night of Listowel Race Week.
Indeed he led a group of wren boys out every St Stephen's Day to raise funds for Aras Mhuire Nursing Home. He tirelessly raised funds for the multiplicity of organisations he was involved with and was a frequent church gate collector in all the parishes in North Kerry.
He was a strong and competitive footballer for Tarbert and Listowel and was a member of the Listowel Emmets team that won the 1957 North Kerry Championship.
Indeed he was chairman of the club for a time and was president of Listowel Emmets GAA club at the time of his death. An enthusiastic card player of the game 41 he was delighted to have had the chance to enjoy a few games of cards in the Emmets club house before his passing.
Michael had a strong faith and was a devoted Catholic and this was evidenced by the large number of clerics who counted themselves as his friends and turned up to celebrate his funeral mass.
He was actively involved in his local church committee and he was honoured for his 43 years of service to the Listowel Bazaar Committee in December last.
In 2007 Michael was awarded a civic reception by Listowel Town Council to make his lifelong and devoted commitment to his community. As a man who never expected or requested thanks, he was humbled that his town expressed their appreciation to him in this way.
He had a hearty infectious laugh that filled a room with joy. He was recognised by those who worked on committees with him as patient, even-tempered and forgiving. He was always the peacemaker, cool-headed and straight-forward. Michael was a highly intelligent man with a great head for figures who led an honest, hardworking and clean life. He did right by those he loved and his community and, most of all, he made a real difference to this world.
Michael's funeral, organised by his close friend Cllr Maria Gorman, was a testimony to the high regard in which he was held by his community. Thousands turned up from all over Ireland and abroad to pay their last respects and they lined the Mail Road outside Lyons's Funeral Parlour, Derry, Listowel for five and half hours.
Michael, who was a man of the people and a giant of the community would have been honoured and humbled by this show of appreciation. Over his lifetime he touched the lives of so many people and he was widely respected for his work, sharp wit and good humour.
His funeral mass was a splendid celebration of his life. It was celebrated by Canon O'Connor and Canon Linnane along with nine other clerics, all 11 of whom he counted among his wide circle of friends.
Michael's passing has left a huge void in the lives of his family, friends and community. Now reunited with his beloved wife Maureen, he is and will always be sadly missed by his loving daughters Muriel, Geraldine, Ann and Imelda, who are hugely proud of their father, sons-in-law Ted, Michael, Leo and Tony, 11 grandchildren, great-grandchild, sisters Eileen, Moira, Margaret and Teresa and his many relatives, friends and neighbours.
The book closes on a full life well-lived.
Ni fheicimid a leitheid ariís go deo.
Courtesy of The Kerryman, 1st June 2011 Tweet
