Dermot was a loving father and great entertainer
PEOPLE throughout the Kilmore area amd across County Wexford were saddened to hear of the passing of well-known and highly regarded musician, Dermot Kelly, from Ballask, Kilmore.
Beloved husband of the late Marie, the regard in which Dermot was held within the community was underlined by the large congregation of mourners who gathered in St Mary’s Church, Kilmore, for his funeral mass on Tuesday, July 31.
Originally from New Ross, Dermot grew up in Wexford town and came from a highly respected family. He was very fond of his three brothers and three sisters and his life-long involvement in music meant he also had very good friends in Wexford where he played a prominent role on the local entertainment scene.
It was through music that he met his beloved wife Marie at a dance in Camross Ballroom. The couple moved to Australia for a couple of years before returning home to Wexford where they settled in Kilmore Quay.
While in Australia Dermot got a job working in a print shop and also indulged his passion for music. He loved playing gigs in the Argyl Tavern in the Rocks area of Sydney within the shadow of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Always the entertainer he used to go onstage wearing a convict prisoner’s suit as part of his stage show!
When they returned home from Australia Dermot worked as a compositer with the Echo newspaper and with the Wexford Free Press before eventually setting up his own well-known business, Viking Print.
Dermot was married to Marie for 48 very happy years and the affect her passing had on him was summed up best by himself when he wrote: ‘When she died half of me died with her.’
The couple were blessed with two children, Bobby and Linda, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and they were very proud of them all.
Dermot took particular pride in the achievements of his grandson Martin who established himself in the upper echelons of the horse racing world in Australia. Both Dermot and Marie were fortunate enough to get to visit Martin out in Australia and they were trips that forged brilliant memories for all of them.
A very poignant moment in the funeral mass came when the mourners heard words from a eulogy written by Dermot himself. In it he expressed gratitude to his wonderful friends and especially to Theresa Raftery and Mae Boxwell for their help during times of ill-health.
While his love for his family was unquestionable the other great passion in his life was music and for the last few years he took great pride in being asked to sing with Don Sadler and his Bourbon Street jazz band. However, it was with the Supremes that he really made his mark and the group enjoyed a considerable amount of success in the 1960s and ‘70s and had a hit single in the form of ‘I Can’t Go Back to Boston Again’ which was com- posed by two other legends of Wexford music, Larry Kirwan and Pierce Turner.
Following that band Dermot formed his own group with his brother Declan - who was also the drummer in the Supremes – and his good friends Toddy Walsh and Peader Dempsey. The Dermot Kelly Band forged a great reputation on the local live circuit performing at a wide range of functions and events.
Dermot loved the Sunday afternoon sessions in Mary Barry’s Bar and was very fond of the staff there. Those feelings were reciprocated as he was always made feel very welcome there. The sessions were so important to him that his final performance there occurred only a couple of weeks ago even though his health wasn’t great.
Dermot had a regular slot in Kelly’s Hotel, Rosslare, and was an avid and enthusiastic supporter of Kilmore Tops and Wexford Singing and Swinging pubs competitions.
Music and performance were his life and he had an inherent talent for entertaining that many aspire to but few achieve. As his funeral cortege made its way to his final resting place a fitting musical jazz tribute was made by Bourbon Street outside Mary Barry’s bar. While he made his mark with music there were many other aspects to his personality for which he will always be fondly remembered by all who knew him.
Blessed with a wicked sense of humour the banter between him and his band-mates on stage ensured no two nights were the same. Renowned for his quick wit an intelligence whenever Dermot was present a joke or two were never far away. However, it an aspect to his personality that made people feel instantly at ease when in his company.
Dermot also loved quizzes and was an expert at general knowledge questions in addition to filling the role of quizmaster at numerous events in Mary Barry’s.
He also enjoyed watching quizzes on TV and his most recent favourite programme was ‘The Chase’. Dermot also had a great fondness for old movies with westerns being a particularly favourite genre. He could recall the names of different actors in relation to their specific characters in various films. His all-time favourite movie was The Quiet Man’ and such was his love of the movie that he and Marie spent many happy holidays visiting Cong, where the film was shot. It was very moving and fitting that as his coffin was being brought down the church towards the end of the funeral Dermot’s good friend, Marty Kinsella, sang an extremely moving version of ‘The Lake Isle of Inishfree’ which was one of the most well-known songs from the film.
Dermot also loved comedies and his taste ranged from old classics like Porridge and Last of the Summer Wine to more recent shows like Mrs Brown’s Boys; he was also a big fan of the Simpsons.
He also had a talent for writing and had many regular readers of his ‘Kelly’s Corner’ column in the old Wexford Free Press. While legendary crooner, Frank Sinatra, sang about it Dermot Kelly was an entertainer through-and-through; an devoted family man, all-round entertainer and a great friend he truly did it his way!
Dermot is survived by his daughter, Linda, son, Bobby, brothers, Declan, Rory and Kieran, sisters, Dympna and Nuala, son-in-law, Graham, Bobby’s partner, Marie, sisters-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces, relatives and very large circle of friends.
Following the Requiem Mass Dermot’s remains were laid to rest in the New Cemetery in Kilmore.