The Late John Coffey The death took place of John Coffey, Clahanelinehan, Cahersiveen, one of the oldest citizens of South Kerry. He was born on the November 13, 1913 to Patrick Coffey and Mary Coffey (nee O'Sullivan, Filemore) and was the eldest og six children. He succeeded his father on the farm where he spent his life. His second brother Michael joined the Redemprorist Fathers and spent almost 40 years working in the Phillippine Islands. Thade, his younger brother was a carpenter and died from TB in 1958. His eldest sister Mary trained to be a nurse in the Richmond Hospital in Dublin and died in August 2001. His sister Kathleen or Nurse Coffey as she was known to everybody was also trained in the Richmond Hospital and worked for almost 35 years in St Anne's Hospital in Cahersiveen. She died in 1998. He is survived by his youngest sister Noreen who had a hairdressing saloon in Drimnagh in Dublin until she retired to Clahanelinehan eight years ago and who looked after him very well and who he was grateful for the spent happy times with. John was a keen sportsman and was honourary president of St. Mary's GAA Club in Cahersiveen and was one of the founding members of the club. He was the last surviving member of the first St Mary's team from 1929 and he had won a Dunloe cup medal with CBS Cahersiveen in 1930. He was also a keen huntsman and hunted with his friends in Cahersiveen for many years. He produced many fine coursing greyhounds and was a prominent member of Cahersiveen Coursing Club winning several stakes at the local meetings. He also produced many fine greyhounds for the track and was associated for many years with Tom Lynch the leading trainer of his day. Amongst his best dogs were Bunagleanna, Teir Abhaile and Teeraha. John was a much loved man in Cahersiveen. Both young and old loved his company. He was a renowned local historian and knew every village and townland in South Kerry. He was a contemporary of the boys of Barr na Sraide and knew Sigerson Clifford. He had great stories and a great way of telling them. People loved his company, his sense of humour, his infectious laugh and his wisdom, not only those of his own generation but his grand nieces and nephews and young cousins and friends as well. And there was always a smile, whether you arrived at 2pm in the afternoon or 2am in the morning. John witnessed great events, both internationally and locally, and to the end he was keenly interested in current addairs. He loved to read the paper, listen to the radio and watch political programmes for TV. he had an insatiable appetite for politics. John was known as a broad-minded man who never uttered a nasty word about anyone. He sought the good and possessed an easygoing nature and a rare optimism that radiated happiness everywhere he went. Truly one of the old stock, his passing marks the end of an era in Cahersiveen and many were sad to see him go but were grateful for how he enriched their lives. Courtesy of The Kerryman 11th August 2005 Tweet

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