The late Edward 'Ned' Barry Lisselton native Edward 'Ned' Barry, who died at the age of 89 in Listowel Hospital on Monday, March 13, 2006, was a kind and loving man who never relinquished his strong love of life despite a life that was defined by much heartache. Born on June 21, 1916, to Patrick and Mary Barry of Ballyegan, Lisselton, he attended the local national school as a young boy. One of nine Barry children, many of whom emigrated, he took to working on the family farm as a young man, eventually inheriting the holding. Marrying local woman Brigid 'Maimie' Kennelly in the 1940's the couple settled on the Barry farm where they set about family life, bringing four children into the world - daughter Mary and sons, twins John and Tom and Patrick. Mr Barry was devastated by the loss of his wife in 1967 and brought all his energies to bear on raising his sons - a challenging task for a single parent at that time but one he fulfiled with absolute love and dedication. Unbearably, he was to also bury two sons - Tom and Patrick - through separate tragic circumstances. In 1976 Mr Barry remarried, to Doreen Foley, who was a former district nurse and soon retired from farming - moving to Urlee in Lisselton in the late 1970's. They shared many wonderful years together and Mr Barry cared for her when she took ill in recent years - her niece Norma, who suffers from a debilitating condition, also lived with the couple and Mr Barry was no small help to her as well. Doreen sadly passed away in 1998 and Mr Barry again was forced to stoically accept his grief. His many grandchildren were of great comfort to him in later years and he was overjoyed at the birth of a great-grandchild. He will be remembered both locally and further afield for many things, not least his association with the national sports. A keen GAA man, Mr Barry was a star player with the Ballydonoghue team in his youth, in his playing days - winning three North Kerry Senior Championships and one Junior North Kerry Championship with them in the 1940's. Indeed the GAA would remain one of his life-long passions and the collection of local memorabilia he pieced together over the years brought him to the attention of the national body in later years - and some of his items are now to be seen in the Croke Park museum. He will also be remembered as a warm, sincere and friendly man whose door was always open, ready with conversation, tea and sometimes a drop of the stronger stuff if it was needed. Is glainne a chroi, neart a dheag agus beart de reir a bhriathar. Courtesy of The Kerryman 31 March 2006 Tweet

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