Devoted family man Mikey Dwyer loved music
MICHAEL (MIKIE) DWYER, late of Ballyeden, was a devoted family man and lover of céili music whose death on December 17 following an illness, has left a big vacuum in the lives of his family.
Mikey was born to Kathleen and Sonny Dwyer of Mary Street. The eldest of five, Billy, the late John, Kevin, and the late Mary.
He attended New Ross CBS before going on to work in construction in Dublin, working on high rise cranes during the boom of the 1950s.
He met his wife Nora at a dance in the Badminton Hall on John Street and the couple were married in Glenmore Church after a two year courtship.
They loved in Dublin where they welcomed John and Micheál into the world, before moving back to Glenmore, eventually settling in the Bullawn area of New Ross.
Mikey worked in construction locally and was one of hundreds of men employed building O’Hanrahan Bridge in the late 1960s.
He also worked on the construction of the Great Island power plant, before becoming self-employed with his brother-in-law Richie Butler as a plasterer, plastering bungalows.
Both he and Richie started up a pallet repair business in the 80s for the Albatros fertiliser plant, running the business from his home in Shanbogh, which he built having demolished the old family thatched cottage there.
Mikey could often be seen with Nora in the Bumble Bee pub enjoying céili music. His brother Billy was a nationally renowned céili drummer.
At home he always had American country music playing on the record player and on the radio so his children were intimately aware of the music of musical icons like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.
Mikey was blessed with the voice of an angel but being of a quiet disposition never sang in public.
He was Republican minded but not politically affiliated.
The loss of Nora in 2001 was a blow Mikey never fully recovered, the couple having been since their teenage years, but he kept up his daily routines, including his daily 6km walk into New Ross and back, sometimes repeating the walk later in the day.
He enjoyed recalling his days living in Dublin, where he drank in one of the same pubs Brendan Behan frequented
Mikey enjoyed great health throughout most of his life. His family noticed a decline in his health around five years ago and Mikey was diagnosed with dementia and Parkinson’s.
He received wonderful care at Millhouse Care Home where he died aged 84.
A large crowd attended Mikey’s funeral Mass at St Mary & St Michael’s Parish church, where his son John paid a warm tribute to him, describing his father as a devoted family man.
Mikey was laid to rest afterwards in St Stephen’s Cemetery.
He is survived by Michael, John, Tony and Anne; his brothers Billy and Kevin; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; daughters-in-law; son-inlaw; nephews; nieces; relatives and friends.