Daughter tried to rescue father, his funeral is told
A DAUGHTER tried to save her Irish father from drowning him after he got into difficulty swimming in Australia on New Year’s Day while on holiday to see her, his funeral Mass heard yesterday.
John Holland Sr died after he got into difficulty swimming on Anglesea beach on the Great Ocean road just outside Melbourne. The 63-year-old, from Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny, had been due to return home just days later.
He was visiting his daughter Emma, who moved to Australia within the last year. Mr Holland, whose wife Maire died from cancer in May 2022, was accompanied by his friend David Stapleton for his Christmas trip to the country.
Fr Eamonn O’Gorman, parish priest in Ballyragget and Lisdowney, and close friend of Mr Holland Sr, said the ‘hugely popular man touched so many lives’.
He continued: ‘When we reflect upon the tragedy that happened in
Melbourne and John’s untimely death, the gallant efforts of Emma, David Stapleton, the rescue services and paramedics on the beach trying to revive John... There’s a time for giving birth and a time for dying.
‘His family and friends were so looking forward to his returning to Ireland after Christmas having spent it with Emma and David. But that unfortunately wasn’t to be; a great sadness, a numbness came over the whole community and is still very much with us.’
He added: ‘Prayer was important in both of their [the deceased and his wife Maire’s] lives. He fought the good fight, he ran the race to the end and he had great faith. John was a person who trusted in the Lord.
‘John would say to me in Maire’s presence, “You will have me broke buying so many candles” and would wink over at me. Very often I saw John’s car parked outside St Finnan’s cemetery.’
Fr O’Gorman was asked by the Holland family to thank everyone ‘who helped them in so many different ways’. The wellknown grain merchant and cycling enthusiast was due to arrive back on January 4.
His coffin, adorned with the maroon and white colours of his beloved Ballyragget GAA teams, was carried into St Patrick’s Church by six pallbearers.
Items important to Mr Holland Sr were presented as symbols of his life, and they included a family photograph, a hurl, a Deenside Wheelers Cycling Club jersey, a grain sack and a journal from his graduating class of 1977 in Gormanstown.
He is survived by his son John Jr, daughters Emma and Kate, sister Mai and grandchildren Andy and Nell.
Mr Holland Sr was laid to rest beside his late wife Maire in St Finnan’s cemetery.
‘A numbness came over the whole community’