The death has occurred of John ‘Jackie’ McGaley of No. 4, St. John’s Park Castleisland and formerly of Church St. Castleisland.
Peacefully at University Hospital Cork on October 8th. 2022 in the presence of his loving family. Predeceased by his parents Bill and Eilish.
Sadly missed by his loving family, daughter Liz and son Liam, son-in-law Mike O’Regan and Liam’s partner Ceilla Mansson and his grandchildren Sophia, Darren and Billy, his sisters: Bride, Consuelo, Pauline. Brothers: Billy, Donal and Martin, nieces, nephews, uncles and aunts and the extended McGaley family, neighbours and friends.
May he Rest in Peace.
The last time I met Jackie
The last time I met Jackie McGaley on the street here in our little estate we passed the time of day and briefly discussed the beautiful weather we were having and I remarked how it puts everyone in good form.
There was no answer and I looked at him and I knew there was something roguish coming – but with Jackie it was never rushed.
He was licking the gummy strip on his rollie and expertly turning it into a smoke-able cigarette and he lit it. A puff or so later he said: “You know there’s a week of floods and storms coming at us after the weekend ? Then I told him I was sorry I met him on that particular day and we parted laughing.
The Sign of his Hand
Jackie McGaley has left the sign of his hand and his love of nature on the ditch which runs parallel to the entrance to St. John’s Park.
Along with his neighbour, Billy O’Brien, they took a wilderness and worked with it and planted and nurtured it to become an attractive array and blaze of summer colours.
They, with Tom McCarthy and John ‘Deacon’ Horan, have been the unsung heroes of the area as they look after the grass cutting and whatever else is needed to maintain its tidiness.
Well Regarded by Neighbours
Jackie was well regarded by his neighbours and well minded by his next door friends, John ‘Jack’ and Bridget Coffey.
A neighbour said on Saturday that he’ll be missed every time we leave and enter the estate as he was always stuck somewhere along the ditch with a shovel in his hand and with a cutting of something to plant. May God be good to him.
Jackie’s Funeral Arrangements
Reposing at Tangney’s Funeral Home, Church Street, Castleisland, on Monday evening from 5pm to 7pm.
Funeral arriving to Castleisland Parish Church on Tuesday morning for 11am requiem Mass.
The Mass will be livestreamed on www.churchservices.ie/Castleisland.
Burial afterwards in St John’s Cemetery, Castleisland. No flowers, please. Donations, in lieu, to Bru-Columbanus, Wilton, Cork. House private, please.
Date Published: Sunday 9th October 2022. Date of Death: Saturday 8th October 2022.
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