Willie lived a life of work and play
THE passing of Willie Kavanagh (81), Coolishall Lower, Gorey, brought the town to a standstill.
Willie was born in Coolishall Cottage on in March 1938 to Michael and Margaret Kavanagh.
Sadly At the tender age of ten he lost his mother, which was a hard blow for all of the family.
After several years his step-mother Nan came into his life and helped to ease this loss somewhat.
As a young man of 18 he set off for the Currach Camp to join the army where he had some great times with his new found friends but also learned about discipline and hard work.
After his four year stint, he left for England to join his brother Mick where he worked intheFoundry.
But always the home bird, Willie returned to his native Gorey two years later where he met the love of his life Nancy in 1964.
They lived in Séan O’Byrne Park during the early years of their marriage and went on to have the first four of their seven children there. In time Willie and Nancy moved back to his childhood home in Coolishall and expanded the cottage to accommodate their expanding family when the next 3 children came along.
During his working life, Willie worked in N.E.T., growing and selling vegetables as well as cutting and selling timber.
He loved the outdoors and took great pride in his vegetable garden which was the envy of many.
His love of trees and timber brought him to most of the neighbouring parishes in search of a fallen tree and he was well known by many farmers and landowners in the locality.
His family will vouch for his borderline obsession with trees and not a tree in North Wexford was safe if Willie got wind of it leaning. In the latter years before his retirement he went to work with John Harris.
Many a house built in the area saw the two amigos work hard and play harder, as Willie enjoyed the work but the company even more so.
He played poker in the Loch
Garman Arms every Tuesday night for over 25 years with a great group of men who shared his love of poker and in recent years he made his way to Kilanerin to play 45 in Murphy’s pub.
The family game of poker on a Sunday night was never to be missed and he loved nothing more than to play a game of Rummy with his Grandchildren.
Willie’s other great passion was for sport, especially hurling.
His support for his home club of Naomh Eanna who provided a guard of honour at his funeral, never faltered.
His beloved county team brought him the length and breadth of Ireland to watch many a hurling match.
In later years when ill health came and he couldn’t be there in person, he would watch the matches on TV or listen to the radio.
Sundays revolved around the GAA calendar for Willie.
He was a lifelong member of Wexford GAA and a lifetime fan of Buffers Alley that he greatly admired.
The 1996 All Ireland for Wexford, 2018 county championship win for Naomh Eanna and the 1989 All Ireland Club for Buffers Alley were all days for great celebration and a pint or two.
Wexford winning the Leinster Championship in 2019 was his last great happiness in his lifelong love of hurling.
Willie was a sociable and friendly man with a word for everyone he met.
This was very apparent in the crowds of people who came from far and wide to pay their respects.
Hundreds came both his home in Coolishall and his funeral mass in St. Michael’s Church in Gorey, which was a testament to the man himself.
A packed church came to a standstill to honour one of Gorey’s natives and gave him an honourable Gorey send off.
Willie enjoyed the simple pleasures in life and had a strong sense of family. He was very proud of all of his family and appreciated their love and support, especially as his health declined.
This was evident in the love and care given by his wife Nancy and all of his children and grandchildren as his health declined in recent times.
Willie passed away peacefully in Wexford General Hospital on January 1 surrounded by his loving wife and family.
He will be sadly missed by his wife Nancy, his seven children Michael, Peter, Paul, Brenda, Fiona, William and Michelle, sons and daughters in law, his brothers Mick and Jack, his 18 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
May his gentle soul Rest in Peace.