Tributes paid to Lurgan ice cream parlour owner ahead of his funeral

Well-respected: Joe Cafolla by his wife Angela, daughters Maria and Lisa and three grandchildren.

THE family of a respected Lurgan His son-in-law Brian Lennon businessman have paid tribute said he would be remembered to him ahead of his funeral for his generosity, devotion to today. his family and passion for sport.

The owner of one of Northern “He was a very generous man. Ireland’s oldest ice cream He was the type of guy that parlours, Joe Cafolla (71) passed would have sent people away away on Sunday after a battle from the shop with a fish supper with cancer. if they had no money,” he said.

His Italian father established Carrying on the tradition, his Cafolla’s fish and chip shop on two daughters worked with him Carnegie Street in the 1930s, at the business for 30 years. with the business equally known “It was hard on them to see it for the family’s secret ice cream close, I think they’re still coming recipe. to terms with it,” said Mr Len

Mr Cafolla worked there for non. nearly 50 years before his declininghealthforcedhimtoshutthe “I’ll always remember as well how good Joe was to us in the doors in August. He is survived summer months. He would often have taken us out on a boat and jet ski in Lough Neagh.”

Sport remained a lifelong passion for Mr Cafolla, especially boxing, snooker and horse racing. He was also well known at the Clan Na Gael GAA club in Lurgan.

After such an active lifestyle, Brian said his father-in-law’s diagnosis of throat cancer a year ago had been devastating.

“He had to have his voice box removed. That was really tough on him, to lose that ability to communicate,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it moved down into his chest and lungs as well. It was already a tough year, as his sister Anna passed away from quite a similar illness in the spring, that had a really big effect on him.” He added: “There’s been a lot of tears in the family, but we also can’t believe the amount of messages on social media for him, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly said her own sister was one of many people in Lurgan who had their first job at Cafolla’s.

She called Mr Cafolla a “true gentleman and respected businessman” who employed many people over the years.

DUP MLA Carla Lockhart said his passing was “a loss to his family, friends and the entire town”.

Requiem Mass will be held at 1pm today in St Paul’s Church, Lurgan, with interment afterwards in St Colman’s Cemetery.