The death has occurred of Paul Anthony Reece, 36 The Avenue, Cahereen Heights, Castleisland, Co. Kerry and late of Sheila Prendiville’s Bar and Grocery, 22 Main Street, Castleisland and Birmingham, England.
Unexpectedly on January 24th 2022 at University Hospital Kerry.
Sadly missed by his loving sisters, Jane in Cahereen’s Heights Castleisland and Carmel in the U.K. his niece Alison, grandniece Willow, his first cousin Billy Prendiville and his family in Ballymacelligott, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends.
Paul was predeceased by his parents William and Bridget, brother Billy, sister Kathryn, uncles Tim, Michael and Mossie, aunts Sheila and Teresa.
May His Gentle Soul Rest In Peace.
Fitting into Life in Castleisland
Though born in Birmingham in the U.K., Paul Reece (73) fitted right into life in Castleisland when he decided to move here permanently in the mid 1970s.
He had been an annual summer holidays visitor to his aunt Sheila’s bar and grocery for several years previous to the move.
He got into the rural way of life and went to the bog and saved hay with the Begleys, Jackie and Patsy and got involved in greyhounds and gardening and settled in here and decided this is where he wanted to be.
Browne’s Mineral Waters
He worked at Browne’s Mineral Water at their Tralee Road base and he kept a fine garden at the back of the house on Main Street and worked behind the bar counter in the evenings.
Gardening was his forte and, as a horticulturist, he was the right man for the job when he was matched up with the late Jerh O’Sullivan at the local pitch and putt course for the duration of a scheme there in the late 1990s.
Himself and the late Jackie Dan Jerry O’Connor often compered notes as knowledgeable gardeners at opposite sides of the bar.
Busy Fair Days
In the days when the grocery and the bar were all the go Paul and Sheila worked side by side during busy pig fair Tuesdays and on horse fair days and on the always busy Saturdays of those long gone days.
In later years, the house held its charm for visitors to the annual November 1st horse fair day and the Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival when David ‘Dauber’ Prendiville and John ‘Skevena’ O’Sullivan rolled up their sleeves and fell in behind the counter with Paul.
Doing Up The Bar
We spent a memorable week ‘doing up’ the bar after a visit from the health inspectors and a gang, under the supervision of Dauber got to work.
Our team included: Maggie Prendiville, Denis Keane, Delia O’Donoghue and Techla O’Connor with the late Paul Malpass and Timmy Murphy.
We followed an official list of improvements and the work passed all stages and the undertaking provided us with precious memories.
More precious now because some of that little team are imithe ar shlí na fírinne. May God be good to Paul and all who made No 22 Main Street what it was for those of us lucky enough to have been part of the cast there for so many fun filled years.
Paul’s Funeral Arrangements
Reposing at Tangney’s Funeral Home, Church Street, Castleisland on Wednesday evening from 6pm to 7pm.
Removal from the funeral home on Thursday morning at 10:30am arriving to Castleisland Parish Church for Requiem Mass at 11am. Burial afterwards in St. John’s Cemetery, Castleisland.
The Mass will be live-streamed on www.churchservices.tv/castleisland
Date Published: Tuesday 25th January 2022. Date of Death: Monday 24th January 2022.
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