The death has occurred of John O’Looney, Quarter Mire, Mullagh, Co. Clare
At University College Hospital, Limerick. Predeceased by his loving wife Joan. Deeply regretted by his family: Marie, Aidan, Geraldine and Ita. Daughter in law Kate, sons in law Mark, Michael and Rory. Grandchildren: Katie, Jack, Sarah, Eóin, Oisín, Hannah, Ailbhe, Cormac, Michéal, Meadhbh, Shay and Aoife. Great-grandson Brían, sister in law Nora, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Rest in Peace.
Sad News from Co. Clare
The sad news of John O’Looney’s passing swept rapidly through traditional music circles early this morning.
There is a strange sense of appropriateness about his going now as he would be departing from Mullagh at this time of year anyway on his way to Castleisland for the Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival – as he had done every year, bar one, since 1993 – and the one was that of the Covid lock-down era.
John and Joan
Over many of those years he would have been accompanied by his, Knocknagoshel native, late wife Joan who passed away in January 2010. Once you saw them and the late Susie Cox you knew the weekend had arrived.
We knew he hadn’t been feeling well during the summer but then the news filtered around that the festival committee here had reserved a room in the River Island Hotel for him and his son Aidan for this weekend.
A solid judge of good music, John’s first job on arriving in Castleisland would be to know where to go over the weekend and his well thumbed festival programme would earn its keep for the duration.
A Valued Advisor
He was a great friend of the Kerry native and adopted Clare man the late Muiris Ó Rócháin – one of the founder members of the world renowned, Miltown Malbay based, Willie Clancy Summer School. He knew Willie Clancy and had seen all the greats of Irish music at close quarters down through the years.
John, who would have been 84 in January, was a well equipped and valued advisor to the late Mike Kenny in the early days of the Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival in the 1990s and great company always.
The Clare Champions
We celebrated with a proud John O’Looney on a festival Sunday afternoon in 2015 here in Castleisland after his grandson, Cormac Murray helped Miltown Malbay to win the Clare senior football championship title for the first time in a quarter of a century.
For that game he left Castleisland in mid morning and was back here again by the Angelus bells.
We’ll miss his humorous honesty, his warmth and knowledge- all hallmarks that endeared us to his engaging company all those years ago.
May God be good to him.
Condolences to John’s family and friends from all involved in the Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival in Castleisland – many of whom will be crossing the Shannon to pay their respects over the next few days.
John’s Funeral Arrangements
Reposing at St. Mary’s Church, Mullagh on Friday, October 28th from 5pm with prayers at 7pm.
Funeral Mass on Saturday, October 29th at 11 o’clock.
Burial afterwards in Kildimo Cemetery. John’s Mass can be viewed on https://www.kibparish.ie/our-parish/webcam/
Date Published: Wednesday 26th October 2022. Date of Death: Wednesday 26th October 2022.
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