AnimalloverPaddyColfer (87) wasthelastofhisfamily
PATRICK (PADDY) COLFER late of Killesk, Campile, was the last of his family, stretching back over 500 years in the Campile community.
Paddy was born the youngest in a family of three children on July 2, 1930 and died on September 22 aged 87.
He was born and raised on a small farm in Killesk. When he finished primary school in Killesk, he started work on the family farm with his brother Tommy and sister Kitty.
From childhood Paddy enjoyed the simple things in life: farming and the GAA. Even though he lived on the extreme border with Horeswood, he always counted himself a Horeswood supporter and knew everything about the club’s players and management. He kept up to speed with local goings on through the New Ross Standard.
A staunch Fine Gael man, Paddy supported the party all his life, following its highs and lows, in and out of government over the years.
He had a great love of animals, including cats, ducks, dogs, chickens, little horses and he was particularly fond of sheep.
A very quiet, private man, Paddy hailed from a family who were in the Killesk area since the early 1500s. His brother died in 1982 and his sister died in 1999, making him the last in the Killesk Colfer family line.
Paddy’s main mode of transport was familiar to everyone in Campile - his red Massey Ferguson (MF) 135. A man of great faith and great routine, Paddy could be seen negotiating the roads in his MF135 to Mass in Ramsgrange every Sunday morning and to the shop every Tuesday and Saturday, as well as to funerals in the area.
He rarely ever travelled further than New Ross and surprised a nurse in the town in 2008 when - having been asked when he was last at the doctors - he replied ‘1939’, having had to attend with consumption.
Paddy enjoyed good health up until 2008 when he moved to Cherry Grove Nursing Home, where he made many friends. He was very happy there and received excellent care. Paddy passed away peacefully at Cherry Grove Nursing Home on September 22. A crowd attended his funeral Mass at Horeswood Church on September 24 and his burial afterwards at Poual Cemetery in Drealistown, Ballycullane, beside his late brother and sister. He will be sadly missed by his neighbours, friends and all who knew him.
May his gentle soul rest in peace. ANNE MURPHY late of Clonleigh, Palace, was a woman whose passion for the GAA and all sport, was only surpassed by the love and devotion she showed for her family.
Anne (née Byrne) passed away peacefully after a lengthy illness on September 26. She grew up in Templeudigan, one of six children, Pat, Mogue, Martin, Mary and the late Mike. Anne attended Templeudigan NS and St Mary’s Secondary School. She qualified as a nurse in Dublin and worked in St Patrick’s Hospital, Dublin, before marrying her late husband Jay and settling in Clonleigh. Jay was the brother-in-law to her brother Pat. Jay would pick up Anne from the train station every week to drive her to Templeudigan before they were married, on March 19, 1961, in Templeudigan. They had five children, John, Larry, Catherine, Ciarán and Derek. A woman of great faith who was devoted to Our Lady, Anne regularly travelled to Lough Derg, Our Lady’s Island and to Knock. Anne even travelled to Lough Derg this year for a day retreat such was her believe in her faith. From her youth GAA was a driving passion for Anne whose brother Martin played with Wexford in the 1970s. Anne loved all sports and always had Sky Sports on. She never missed a match her son Larry played and revelled in his success with the county team, including the 1996 heroics and loved Cloughbawn GAA Club and was talking about them right up to her last breath, even though she was a Rathnure woman by birth. Anne was very proud of her daughter Catherine who followed in her footsteps by becoming a nurse and was very proud of all her children’s achievements. She was an avid reader of the daily newspapers and kept up to speed with current affairs and would often be found reading news articles on her tablet or smartphone. Anne had many thoughts on the American Presidential Candidacy and couldn’t stand Donald Trump and often remarked on his calamitous presidency. She loved nature and would often visited many gardens and garden centres across the south east, her favourite garden being that of her son-in-law Paul’s. Anne was also a great baker who enjoyed baking brown bread but it was her Christmas cakes and puddings that Anne will be dearly missed for.
A kind and loyal friend and neighbour, Anne had a great friendship in her neighbours Eamon, Toddy and Mary, but mostly her fondness for Willie Byrne, who was Anne and Jay’s neighbour for over 47 years.
Anne loved going for a drive, especially around the Hook Peninsula and had planned to travel to San Francisco for her 70th in January to visit her son, John. She also enjoyed visiting Kerry where her son Ciarán works in hotel management.
Anne also enjoyed listening to the radio and was glued to South East Radio every day, including to sports reports. After rearing her children and on the retirement of Jay, she returned to work at the Community Hospital in New Ross. Sadly Anne fell ill, months into her well deserved retirement.
Anne’s eight grandchildren were a constant source of pride and joy for her. She will be remembered as a kind, unassuming woman who has lived her life in a very simple and very honest way. Anne passed away aged 69. A large crowd attended her funeral Mass and Anne was laid to rest beside Jay in Poulpeasty Cemetery. Jay was the last person to be buried in the cemetery before Anne.
May her gentle soul rest in peace.