Farming community mourns loss of‘ great neighbour’ Larry
THE community of Rathnure was recently saddened by the passing of Larry Ryan at the age of 82. A well-known member of the farming community, a large congregation turned out to St Anne’s Church in Rathnure to bid a fond farewell to a real gentleman and offer their condolences to his beloved wife Eileen and children.
Originally from Ballinvegga, Ballywilliam, Larry was born into a large family of nine to parents Hannah and John Ryan. Having attended the local na- tional school, Larry showed a great interest in farming from an early age and loved to get his hands dirty. He loved to help out on the family farm and it was to be a vocation that would take up the rest of his life.
Having met the love of his life, Eileen, Larry was married in Rathnure in 1969 and the pair were inseparable ever after. Larry made the move to Rathnure and that was the place he was to call home for the rest of his days, ingraining himself in the local community. It here that Larry and Eileen were to welcome their three beloved children Patrick, Siobhan and Lorcan and he was also a doting grandfather to Sean who arrived back from Australia for the funeral mass.
As is often the case in Rathnure, hurling featured fairly highly on Larry’s list of interests and he hurled himself for Rathnure with a degree of success in his younger years.
He loved to attend matches and was a staunch Rathnure supporter, as well as follow- ing the travails of the county team.
Larry lived and breathed farming, however, and he loved nothing more than attending the marts on locally. There he would meet up and enjoy the banter with countless friends, many of whom attended his funeral mass specially to pay their respects. A great neighbour, Larry was always happy to lend a hand or a bit of expertise wherever he could and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
Fr Brian Broaders celebrated a poignant funeral mass for Larry before he was laid to rest afterwards in the adjoining cemetery in Rathnure. Larry was the beloved husband of Eileen, dearly loved father of Patrick, Siobhan and Lorcan and much loved brother of Jim, John Paddy, Eileen, Aggie, Maureen, Joan and the late Murty. He is sadly missed by his loving wife, sons, daughter, brothers, sisters, son-in-law Dermot, grandson Sean, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.