Liam lived a life of wit, fun and courage in the face of illness
LIAM WICKHAM, from Rathurtin, Clonroche, who died on October 4 aged 48, lived a life of wit, good times and positivity, despite battling the crippling illness multiple sclerosis (MS).
The son of the late Billy and Alice, Liam was born and reared in Clonroche.
He had two brothers, Aidan and Seán and four sisters, Margaret, Annmarie, Siobhan and Elaine, who passed away aged one.
Liam attended Poulpeasty NS and Good Counsel College.
From a young age he was sports mad and played hurling and football with Cloughbawn, winning an under-21 county medal, an under-14 county medal and a senior championship medal.
He played goalkeeper in football matches for many years and was a fantastic wing forward for the hurling teams he played on.
His other sporting pursuits included golf, darts and pool but truth be told he enjoyed every sport.
Liam worked from a young age and moved to London when he was 18 working in steel fixing.
He enjoyed his time in the big city, but always longed for warmer climbs and decided in his mid-twenties to relocate to Australia, settling in Sydney.
While in Sydney Liam won trophies for golf and would often take a week off work to watch Wimbledon.
Wherever he went Liam made good friends and many of these friends travelled to his Funeral Mass in Clonroche earlier this month.
When he was 30 Liam started to feel symptoms of MS. Around this time he moved to Malta where he met a partner and had a daughter named Alex, who is now 13.
Liam returned to Rathurtin and as his illness progressed he received excellent care from his family and later at Cherrygrove Nursing Home.
He kept in regular contact with his daughter, who was the apple of his eye.
Throughout his illness Liam maintained his droll, witty sense of humour and laid-back personality. Whenever anybody asked him how he was he always replied that he was ‘alright’ even though he was in the grip of a severely debilitating illness.
Throughout he loved listening to U2 and other rock bands and always had a keen interest in GAA, golf and many other sports.
Liam spent some time in Wexford General Hospital this year but made a recovery in late September and his family hoped he would be able to return to Cherrygrove Nursing Home. Sadly his condition deteriorated and Liam passed away peacefully at Wexford General Hospital on October 4.
A massive crowd attended Liam’s Funeral Mass at Christ the King Church in Poulpeasty and his burial afterwards in Cloughbawn Cemetery. Cloughbawn GAA Club members stood as guards of honour. During the cremeony numerous items reminiscent of him including a pool cue, darts, a photograph of Alex and a hurl were brought to the altar.
Liam is survived by his daughter Alex; brothers; sisters; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; nephews; nieces; relatives and friends.
May his gentle, witty soul rest in peace.