Sligo motor trade will recall John’s talent and man management skills
The death has occurred of one of the leading figures in the Sligo motor trade of the past half century.
John Kane was born in June 1934, the eldest son of the late Fred and Annie Kane and was raised in Wolfe Tone Street, Sligo.
John left the Sligo technical school in Quay Street and commenced his apprenticeship as a motor mechanic in John Gilbride’s Ford Garage in Bridge Street Sligo.
At the time it was one of the largest garages/ dealerships in the north- west with a floor staff of around 30 as well as parts, sales and office staff.
The body repair shop was based on a side entrance accessible from The Mall where John ’ s brother Charlie worked as a panel beater.
John quickly established himself as a very capable and competent motor mechanic and his skills did not go unnoticed by the Dealer Principle Mrs Russell who promoted him at an early age to the role of garage foreman.
A story has often been told about the time that John was off work sick and an urgent modification to a four speed gearbox was required and the gearbox was taken to John’s sick bed where John carried out the modification.
Truth be told the job was done at the kitchen table.
John, to this day, is very fondly remembered by many of his former work- mates as a gifted mechanic and a talented man manager.
It was during John’s tenure that Gilbride’s Garage became one of the most successful dealerships in the Ford Dealer Network in Ireland.
John met and married the love of his life, Ina Cooper from Carney and they set up home on the Strandhill Road where they reared their four children, Marjorie, Anne, John and Kathryn.
Not one to rest on his laurels, John decided to further pursue his career and in the late 1970’ s left Gilbride’s garage and commenced his career as a Motor Vehicle Assessor with Edge Anderson Limited.
He very quickly became established as one of the most efficient and capable assessing engineers nationwide.
In his spare time, John became a keen golfer and was a former Club Captain of Strandhill Golf Club.
However, he was never afraid to admit that his wife Ina was a better golfer than him.
It was during his captaincy of the Golf Club that he organised the Strandhill Golf Club members children’s Christmas party,.
John being John had to go all out to ensure it would be a party to remember and organised a helicopter to bring Santa and his bag of toys to land outside the clubhouse.
The members and their children stood on the steps of the clubhouse awaiting the arrival of the man in the red costume and as the chopper arrived overhead, circled around and proceeded to land across the bay at Rosses Point Golf Club.
A couple of phone calls to the opposition took place and the day was saved when Santa eventually touched down at the correct destination.
John was very highly spoken of at the Strandhill Golf Club’s Captain’s dinner on Friday night last where news of his passing was greeted with much sadness.
In the mid 1990s John and his son- in- law Paul set up John Kane Assessors and quickly built the company up to one of the most successful and highly regarded and respected assessing companies in the north- west.
John’s daughter- in- law, Helena and his nephew Martin Kane continue to fly the assessing flag as Kanes Assess Ireland.
Following several attempts at retirement John finally upped sticks and moved to Carrigaline in Cork where his daughters are married and living with their families.
John is survived by his Wife Ina, Daughters, Marjorie, Anne and Kathryn, and his son John Junior, Son’s in law, Hugh, Paul, and John and daughter- in- law Helena, grandchildren and great- grandson, Danny, His brothers Fred and Charlie and sister Muriel, sisters and brothers- in law.
John’s Removal took place from Fordes Funeral Home Carrigaline to the Church of Our Lady and St John Carrigaline where funeral mass took place on Saturday at 1.15 pm, followed by cremation at The Island Crematorioum, Ringaskiddy.