O'Keeffe, Joe
March 13, 2013The community of Asdee bid farewell to one of its most popular personalities at the weekend with the death of Joe O'Keeffe of Asdee West.
Joe passed away peacefully at Kerry General Hospital surrounded by his family after bravely bourne illness. A man of warm and outgoing disposition Joe was a pillar of the local community and played an active role in everything that was happening in the area. Coming from a family with a strong farming background, Joe was a very successful dairy farmer and enjoyed the freedom rural life gave him. He had a great love of the land and gardening and grew all types of vegetables at his greenhouse tunnel beside the family home. He packed a lot into the 81 years he spent in this life and has left a huge legacy of fond and cherished memories behind. Living close to the village, he was involved in many local organisations and groups and always had the welfare of the area at heart. Over the years he played an active part in Comhaltas, The Pioneer Association and had a long association in the running of the local community centre. He was renowned far and wide as a great traditional dancer and danced the sets with his wife Helena on stages all over the county and beyond. He was also a fine singer and fiddle player who regularly played and sung for his children and grandchildren. He was a member of the local church choir for many years and kept the choir going through thick and thin. He also did a lot to promote handball in the area with the family allowing a handball alley to be built in their land in the village and it was a happy hunting ground for the young people of the area during the 60s and 70s and 80s. Of course Joe and his family had a great interest in drama and did much to promote it in the area. Back in 1959 Joe was a member of the cast of the Asdee Drama Group that won an All Ireland title in Athlone. Whenever a function of any kind was being organised in the village, Joe was always one of the first people that was approached and he was always available to help out in any way he could.
Of course his faith played a pivotal role in his everyday life and he was a regular churchgoer and was actively involved in the upkeep and maintenance of the church for many years. He was involved and associated with everything good and positive that was happening in the area and was available to help out in any capacity he could. In more recent times he became a member of the local active Retirement Group and enjoyed their weekly get together at the local community centre. While Joe was blessed with good health for most of his life it began to decline in more recent times but he put up a brave fight to the end with the assistance of his family who looked after him so well.
He had a keen interest in reading and was a prolific story teller who was extremely well versed in local history and folklore. He took great pride in his local village and was associated with most positive developments that too placed in the area. He loved many different kinds of sports and attended local matches on a regular basis. Joe's passing will create a huge void in the local community and he will be fondly remembered by everyone that was fortunate to know him as he was a real gentleman in every sense of the word. The esteem in which Joe and his family are held locally was reflected in the huge and widely representative congregations that turned out on Sunday evening for the removal of his remains from Lyons Funeral Home, Derry, Listowel to St Mary's Church.
The Church was overflowing for the Requiem Mass on Monday morning where the chief celebrant was Fr Declan O'Connor, PP Listowel, accompanied by Fr Philip O'Connell, PP Ballylongford, Fr Pat Moore, PP Duagh, and Fr Madigan, Glin. Prior to the start of the Mass Joe's grandchildren brought gifts to the altar signifying what they meant to him in life. They included a milk tank to highlight his farming roots, a copy of the play that won the All Ireland, his small radio on which he listened to football matches, his violin which he enjoyed playing, a photo of Littor Stand where he loved to go in fine weather and a red rose to show his love for his family. In his homily, Fr O'Connor described Joe as a great family man who made a phenomenal contribution to the Asdee community where he was very popular with everyone.
At the end of the ceremony, Joe's daughter Marie recited a poem depicting what her dad meant to her. At the conclusion of Mass, Joe's son Sean delivered a very fitting eulogy describing what a great dad Joe was. He thanked everyone that assisted them during the final days of his illness and all the local people that helped out and comforted them during this difficult period for the family. He was also loud in his praise of the medical and nursing staff of Kerry General Hospital and the carers that looked after his Dad as well all the kind neighbours and friends that helped and supported the family so well.
A sizeable crowd accompanied the cortege for internment at Kilconly Cemetery. Deepest sympathy is extended to his wife Helena, sons Donie and Sean, daughters Helens and Marie, brother Sean, sister Maureen and all other family members and relatives. Tweet
