The death has occurred of Danny Reidy, (82) Knocknagore, Castleisland, Co. Kerry.
Peacefully on September 1st 2022 in the presence of his loving family in the wonderful care of the Staff of Willow Brooke Care Centre, Castleisland.
Beloved husband of the late Peggy. Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his son Willie, daughters Bríd and Liz, daughter-in-law Breda, sons-in-law Jim and Sean, his adored twelve grandchildren, brother-in-law Patsy McCarthy, relatives, neighbours and many friends.
May His Gentle Soul Rest In Peace.
A Fine, Decent Neighbour
Danny was one of the fine, decent neighbours among whom we were lucky to grow up.
With his brother Jimmy, mother Bridie and uncle Jamesie Geaney, they were regular visitors to our house and Jamesie came with his melodeon slung over his shoulder.
We were regular autumn time visitors to Danny’s house as they had a couple of fine horse chestnut trees in the yard and we were after the ‘conkers’ and there were always some fine examples seasoning away on the south-facing window sills.
Pikes Would be Together
The interactions and meitheal observing occasions between our families went back to my grandfather’s and Jamesie Geaney’s time when their pikes would be together on bogs and in the meadows and in their season.
As neighbours, I remember Mary Leane and myself being sent down to Reidy’s on evenings and at weekends leading up to ‘the stations’ being held there around Easter 1971. We painted and papered and brought chairs from neighbouring houses and had great fun in the process.
Radio Éireann was full of the GAA congress at the time as the infamous ban on ‘foreign games’ was being lifted.
Love of Music and Culture
The late Danny coordinated the work and we had a ball at the stations and a celebration of the work we did in preparations.
Danny and Peggy’s love of music and culture took them to all corners of the country to fleadh and féile.
Danny was a keen historian. When our little grand-daughter Cate was born in Galway, Danny called me one day and told me he wanted to meet her.
Handed Down and O’Keeffe
“If I get to meet her she will be the sixth generation of your family I will have met,” Danny told me.
The meeting was arranged and Danny got his wish and we marked the occasion with a pleasant afternoon.
A great supporter of PJ Teahan’s Handed Down concerts and lectures in Scart and of the Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival in Castleisland, Danny and, in more recent years, accompanied by his late brother, Jimmy were regular faces at such gatherings.
Great Symbols of Celebration
And when fire was one of the great symbols of celebration, I remember Danny as one of the leading figures in the annual, huge bonfire on the second bridge at Knocknagore on bonfire night or St. John’s Eve. It was an occasion which drew a crowd of people back Tralee Road from the town
It was also entirely in keeping with his sense of history and of how such occasions should be observed.
May God be good to him.
Danny’s Funeral Arrangements
Reposing at Tangney’s Funeral Home, Church Street, Castleisland on Sunday evening from 5pm to 7pm.
Funeral arriving to Castleisland Parish Church on Monday morning at 10:45am for Requiem Mass at 11am followed by Private Cremation at the Shannon Crematorium.
The Mass will be live streamed on www.churchservices.tv/castleisland
No flowers please. Donations in lieu to the Castleisland Day Care Centre c/o Tangney’s Funeral Home.
Date Published: Friday 2nd September 2022. Date of Death: Thursday 1st September 2022.
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