The death has occurred of James ‘Jim’ Lordan, Barrack Street, Castleisland, Co. Kerry and formerly of Tullytreada, Macroom, Co. Cork.
Retired Garda Siochána. Peacefully on July 10th. 2020,after a short illness, surrounded by his loving family in the excellent care of the Palliative Care Team at University Hospital Kerry.
Predeceased by his beloved wife of over 50 years, Kathleen and his brothers: Sean and Denis and his sister Sheila Kelleher.
Sadly missed by his adored family: John, Maria, James, Caitriona, Timothy, Bernadette, Padraig, Damien,Sinead, Michelle and Peter; sons-in-law: Donal, Pat, Robbie and Conor, daughters-in-law: Evelyn and Anne-Marie, his eighteen cherished grandchildren: Jamie, Emma, Ewan, Clodagh, Oisín, Andrew, Mary, Laura, Oisín, Kathryn, Mark, Gearoid, James, Sorcha, Caitlyn, James, Aedin and Saoirse and his treasured great-grandchild, Ida Olive Kathleen, brothers: Ted, Dan and Paddy and sister Mary O’Sullivan, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours, former work colleagues and a very large circle of friends.
May His Gentle Soul Rest In Peace.
Naming the Guards
It was the late Barrack Street shoemaker, Christy Cronin’s keen eye and highly developed sense of observation that led him to christen his now late neighbour Garda Jim Lordan (82) with the ‘Gentleman Jim’ tag.
It may have been taken straight from the pages of boxing history, but it fitted Garda Lordan like the uniform he proudly wore for over three and a half decades up to his retirement in the first week of 1995.
Christy gave uncannily apt names to other members of the force also and ones that I’m not brave enough to print here.
Training and passing out all happened for the young Garda Lordan in Dublin’s Pheonix Park in 1960.
A two and a half year spell in Listowel was followed by a shorter stint in Tarbert before the eventual move to Castleisland.
A Fatherly Approach
Garda Lordan took a fatherly approach to the job he was entrusted to do here in Castleisland for over 30 years from the early 1960s up to his retirement in 1995.
That retirement day was followed up a week later by a well attended, community arranged farewell night in the River Island Hotel.
A great storyteller, outstanding company and a possessor of a deep understanding of the frailties of human nature, Jim loved telling the story about an elderly shopkeeper in his Co. Cork neighbourhood from his boyhood days.
Tail Disappearing Silently
The shopkeeper doubled as a poet – and he was good at that.
One Sunday morning, his little shop was full with the usual handful of people for their papers and their usual few bits and pieces.
While they were waiting a startled young lad, roared out ‘look at the rat.’
The shopkeeper looked around him just in time to see the long tail disappearing silently through a little gap between a couple of sauce bottles on a shelf.
He faced his customers again with the unforgettable line: ‘Those rats, they’re such nimble creatures.’
Funeral Arrangements
A private family funeral will take place for Jim R.I.P. with his Requiem Mass on Monday morning at 11am in Castleisland Parish Church which will be streamed live.
Burial afterwards in St. John’s Cemetery, Castleisland. May God be good to him.
Cortege Passing Through Town
At approx 12 noon the funeral cortege will depart Castleisland parish church and travel via Barrack Street passing his residence and then travel along the Main Street and up College Road en-route to the cemetery. House Private Please.
You can tune into the mass for the late Jim Lordan with a click on the link here: http://www.churchservices.tv/castleisland
Date Published: Friday 10th July 2020. Date of Death: Friday 10th July 2020.
