The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
MCCARTHY BROTHERS BURIED IN DINGLE
A PICTURE of a vintage car, an issue of The Kerryman, and a green-and-gold plait were among the items used to symbolise brothers William and Daniel McCarthy’s many passions at their funeral Mass in St Mary’s Church, Dingle on Sunday.
The brothers were laid to rest in their native West Kerry, after a touching ceremony attended by many friends and relatives remembered them for their strong work ethic and close involvement with the deaf community in their adopted city of Dublin.
The Mass featured sign language throughout.
William (76) and Daniel (73) were remembered for their regular trips to west Kerry by Fr Joe Begley, who joked during the ceremony that the men ‘picked every blackberry in Glens’ on their most recent visit.
Fr Begley, who concelebrated the Mass with Fr Jim Sheehy, said the men were ‘blessed to have had so many friends’ and added that ‘they’d left many wonderful memories’.
He also praised the brothers, who worked in shoe mending and several other trades during their lives, for their mastery of craftsmanship.
Cllr Séamus MacGearailt, a neighbour and friend, expressed great sadness at their passing, but was keen to recall fond memories of the brothers.
“We’re shocked and saddened here in Glens; you’d often see them out working hard whilst on visits to the family homestead”, he told The Kerryman.
“They were very active, they loved to come home to shop in Dingle before Christmas, and I’m told they integrated very well with life in Dublin after they moved up to attend St Joseph’s School for the Deaf.”
A picture of the ‘always pristine’ Red Anglia they drove for many years sat before the congregation, as did a sculpture of clasped hands, serving as a reminder of both their flair for craftsmanship and their fluency in sign language.
A copy of The Kerryman was also brought to the altar to represent their interest in current affairs, and a small green and gold plait also sat atop one of the coffins, to serve as a reminder of their adoration of Kerry football.
A Mass attended by around 200 mourners took place on Saturday in Cabra at Deaf Village prior to their removal to Dingle, and it was noted at the ceremony that they were well known faces at Tallaght Deaf Club and the Irish Deaf Society.
A letter from fellow Irish Sign Language users was published in Friday’s Irish Independent criticising the nature of some media coverage of the brothers’ passing, pointing out that they were very active within the deaf community, and ‘far from being limited in their communication, they were fluent Irish sign language users, and often regarded as poetic and eloquent’.
The letter also said that the bill to recognise Irish Sign Language, due before the Seanad, would be a fitting tribute to the McCarthy brothers if it passed through the Oireachtas.
The brothers were found in their house in the Bluebell area of Dublin last week. William had died some weeks ago, and Daniel passed away last weekend. Both died of natural causes.
They are survived by their brother Eamonn, their sister Angela, nephews, and nieces. They are predeceased by their brother, John.