The death has occurred of Jimmy Hayes, 3 St. John’s Park, Castleisland, Co. Kerry and late of Desmond’s Avenue, Castleisland, Co. Kerry.
Peacefully on March 1st. 2020, surrounded by his loving family in the excellent care of the Palliative Care Team at University Hospital Kerry.
Sadly missed by his heartbroken wife Martina, his loving family Josephine, Tommy, Connie, Catherine and James, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, his adored nine grandchildren, brothers Martin and Tucker, sister Noreen, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, especially his nephews Liam and Sean, relatives, neighbours, his colleagues at Post 2 United Nations Veterans Association and many friends.
May His Gentle Soul Rest In Peace.
A Member of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
The late Jimmy Hayes was among the former Irish Army and United Nations soldiers honoured in Castleisland last year for their participation in peacekeeping services overseas spanning a period of 60 years.
He was a member of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus in the early 1970s and served a couple of tours of duty there during a very turbulent period of its history.
The Blue Berets
At a service medal presentation ceremony in February 2019 at The Kingdom House, Jimmy Hayes and his comrades in the Post 2 United Nations Veterans Association donned their ‘Blue Berets’ once more for this special occasion which marked their involvement in some of history’s most dangerous flashpoints.
Based in Kerry, the IUNVA is made up of those who have served on UN missions in the Congo, Cyprus and Lebanon.
Jimmy shared that special medal presentation occasion with another Castleisland man, Tom Twomey who served in The Congo in the early 1960s and the IUNVA Post 2 is under the chairmanship of Con ‘Rocky’ Roche.
Civilian Working Life
In contrast, Jimmy’s civilian working life was spent locally as a baker in Nelligan’s Bakery no more than a couple of hundred yards from his home.
It will, probably, be as an avid walker that Jimmy Hayes will be best remembered by many in this locality as he, and the dogs in his life over the years, walked for miles on Sundays and summer evenings – with the dogs often lagging behind Jimmy’s blistering pace.
May God be good to him.
Funeral Arrangements
Reposing at Tangney’s Funeral Home, Church Street, Castleisland, on Wednesday evening from 5pm to 7pm.
Removal from his residence on Thursday morning, arriving to Castleisland Parish Church for Requiem Mass at 11am.
Burial afterwards in St. John’s Cemetery, Castleisland.
Family flowers only please. Donations in lieu to Palliative Care c/o Tangney’s Funeral Home, Castleisland.
Date of Death: Sunday 1st March 2020. Date Published: Monday 2nd March 2020.
