Huge sadness at untimely death of John Browne

THE community in West Kerry was greatly shocked and saddened to learn of the untimely death of local man John Browne who died from suspected heart failure on Saturday morning.

John, who was aged 58, was cycling over the Conor Pass to Cloghane, with a companion from Dingle Cycling Club, to take part in the 76km Gold Coast Charity Cycle early on Saturday morning. John was the first to reach the top of the hill but when his companion arrived soon after he was horrified to discover that John had collapsed in the car park.

Passing motorists came to their aid and an ambulance arrived within minutes of being summoned but all efforts to revive John were in vain.

John, who was one of the very well known and respected Browne family from The Mall, Dingle, ran an award-winning B&B with his wife, Camilla, at Lady’s Cross, Milltown. He was waked at home on Monday and the number of people calling to offer their sympathies was so great that a queue had to be formed through a field behind the house to avoid causing traffic congestion.

At John’s funeral Mass in St Mary’s Church on Tuesday, he was remembered as a kind, warm-hearted person with plenty of time for people. Gifts presented by members of his family at Mass represented his love of cycling, his love of doing things right, his years working as a driver at home and abroad, his love of music and the Wren, and his love of foreign holidays.

His remains were carried from the church to the strains of Dingle Bay, sung by Thomas Callaghan, and outside the church Dingle Cycling Club provided a guard of honour as the cortege left for Milltown Cemetery.

John is survived by his wife Camilla, son Niall and predeceased by baby Austin, his sister Mai Bruic, his brothers Tom and Ted, cousins Joan Rohan and Rita Judge, his uncle Timmy Kelliher, mother-in-law Eileen Lucey (Waterville), sisterin-law Carmel, brother-in-law Tommy Bruic, nieces, nephews and a very wide circle of family and friends.