Post by maryfarrell6 on Aug 19, 2016 15:22:55 GMT
This is one post I never thought I would have to write. So it is with a heavy heart and more than a sprinkling of tears that I find myself sitting here penning this farewell to an old friend, neighbour and very proud fellow Shadower Joey Kelly.
A gentleman in every sense of the word. If like me you were privileged to be included in his huge circle of friends then you knew you were guaranteed a loyal friend for life. He was someone you could count on through good times and bad. It didn't matter if your paths hadn't crossed for years you would always be greeted as if the span of time hadn't happened. The conversations just started back up again as if we'd only said see ya an hour or so earlier. Mind you that seems to be a gift all of us from the Curragh have which is a testimony to the close bond we all share... As several of us Shawowers returning home from abroad can vouch(myself,Kathy and Eileen o Brien to mention just a few Joey,Johnny Andy Brennan would put themselves out to come and either take any visiting exiles on guided tours of the camp. Or come and join us for a drink or three in Ceannt mess. Plenty of craic and sharing of stories tall and otherswise. Always guaranteed a warm welcome back into the fold..
Joey had many titles Master,Mr,Sgt,Joseph,Joey,Kellogs,Son,Brother,Uncle,Nephew,Husband,Daddy and last but not least Grandad. He may have had a few more but I'll leave it at that... He was a staunch family man who cared passionatey about the love of his life Kelly, His children Sharon, Damien, Elaine and Lisa. His chest would puff up with pride and you would see that famous smile light up his face as he spoke of either their achievemens or his beloved 10 grandchildren.
That love was followed very closely by his family military history a tradation that all the Kelly boys down through the generations have taken up with a strong sense of duty and much to our mans delight is still ongoing to the present day and beyond. Runs in the blood, as Joey himsef said although he was in the ASM the minute he turned 17 he hot-footed it down to McDonagh and signed on the dotted line.... The rest as they say is History.
Now comes his other passion the fact that he was a True Shadower 'Born under the Shadow' in The Families Hospital (Which he never wasted any time reminding particularly Rose and anyone from McDonagh) was situated in Pearse, The age old Pearse/McDonagh rivalry keeping us all entertained on the Forum. It was all good natured harmless craic betwee the two of them. Joey in several posts claimed that everyone associated with the camp ie. Either by soldiering, marraige, or schooling etc could claim to be Shadowers.
I've know Joey all my life, him being the elder(by 6yrs) of course so my early memories would have been of as Marions big brother. As you all well know as youngster that age gap is huge but by the time you hit 20 its leveled out and we're all singing from the same hymn sheet so to speak and the friendships made back then have weathered the test of time and lasted a lifetime. Anyway I digress. The trend back then was that all kids were always out playing. Himself Paddy Troy,Billy o Connor, Shanks Smullen, Frank Sutton and Christy o Brien were all great friends. Little angels!! I think not nobody liked the craic and relished reliving some of their escapades than Mr Kelly himself.
The games: playing ball up against Mr Morans wall(No16), making camps in the plantations, racing boats in the channels, walking on stilts made outbof tbe empty 5lb bean cans. Getting a mouthfull of blisters from the pea shooters. Nearly getting himself killed Go-carting down Cahill's hill only being brought to an abrupt halt by the hut near the dentists on the bottom road..
Always an opportunist and in his own words 'Pearse Lads were no Daws' him and the lads used to 'stage' fights with the cadets when either the coal or turf was delivered. The crafty boys would start throwimg stones or snowballs (from behind wheelbarrows) at the cadets who in turn would throw what was nearest to hand back which was of course the firewood. Once the barrows were full off they'd go to fill up the coal-holes in all the houses. Guaranteeing a warm cosy fire/range fill the next delivery...
Never idle he was a messenger boy for Mr o Connor(Paddy) BOCS da, delivered papers and comics for Easons selling comics(another story) Caddied on the links of the golf club with Andy Heffernan and the other likely lads at the time. He got his love of gardening from helping Mrs McLoughlin, Lydon,McHale John McNamee and earned a few bob into the bargain collecting sheep manure!!! Only on the Curragh eh???
We had a great laugh reminising a couple of weeks ago when I was home and went to visit Joey and Kelly. He was the same old Joey. The memory he has for names of people, places and time is unbelievable. Lucky for us he has recorded and shared so much in this forum that although our lovely Pearse gent may no longer be physically with us his invaluable legacy has been immortalised for ever and day. This is something his family can in time draw strength from.
When I worked in McGoverns in Newbridge Joey was a regular customer and happily shared his immense knowlegde of music with me and helped me a lot in the best records to order he certainly knew his stuff. A great one for a bargain and discount as well. He always returned the compliment at Keadeen. There was always a crowd of Curragh kids gathered around Smoking Joes, Scobies Disco with our very own Joey holding court and dishing out a stash of extra supper tickets to the hungry ones amongst us. Alway kept a watchful eye on us younger ones making sure we never came to any harm. Particularly if anyone of us was the worse for ware. No Curragh youngster missed Hal Conways bus under Smokimg Joe's watch....
I could go on and on but its time I think to say goodbye. I'm so glad I got to see you old pal. I am going to miss your witty banter. Thus world had lost a diamond while Heaven had gained a sparkling new Star. The Curragh Mist will be dancing this way and that as young Kelly visits all his favourite spots.
I wish you Godspeed as you make your way to join up with your ma and da and all the other good Curragh family who are the advance party setting up the Curragh camp just over horizon. The rest of us will all be joining you in due course of that there is no doubt. So sit yourself back, feet up an pour yourself a pint of Arthur and a wee drop of Jameson light up a King Edward Stack the records ready for the movers and shakers to descend and let Fleetwood Mac's, Albatross and the sweet aroma of your cigar drift through the clouds to soothe and calm your lovely family here.
God Bless Joey.... UP PEARSE
MaryF.. X
A gentleman in every sense of the word. If like me you were privileged to be included in his huge circle of friends then you knew you were guaranteed a loyal friend for life. He was someone you could count on through good times and bad. It didn't matter if your paths hadn't crossed for years you would always be greeted as if the span of time hadn't happened. The conversations just started back up again as if we'd only said see ya an hour or so earlier. Mind you that seems to be a gift all of us from the Curragh have which is a testimony to the close bond we all share... As several of us Shawowers returning home from abroad can vouch(myself,Kathy and Eileen o Brien to mention just a few Joey,Johnny Andy Brennan would put themselves out to come and either take any visiting exiles on guided tours of the camp. Or come and join us for a drink or three in Ceannt mess. Plenty of craic and sharing of stories tall and otherswise. Always guaranteed a warm welcome back into the fold..
Joey had many titles Master,Mr,Sgt,Joseph,Joey,Kellogs,Son,Brother,Uncle,Nephew,Husband,Daddy and last but not least Grandad. He may have had a few more but I'll leave it at that... He was a staunch family man who cared passionatey about the love of his life Kelly, His children Sharon, Damien, Elaine and Lisa. His chest would puff up with pride and you would see that famous smile light up his face as he spoke of either their achievemens or his beloved 10 grandchildren.
That love was followed very closely by his family military history a tradation that all the Kelly boys down through the generations have taken up with a strong sense of duty and much to our mans delight is still ongoing to the present day and beyond. Runs in the blood, as Joey himsef said although he was in the ASM the minute he turned 17 he hot-footed it down to McDonagh and signed on the dotted line.... The rest as they say is History.
Now comes his other passion the fact that he was a True Shadower 'Born under the Shadow' in The Families Hospital (Which he never wasted any time reminding particularly Rose and anyone from McDonagh) was situated in Pearse, The age old Pearse/McDonagh rivalry keeping us all entertained on the Forum. It was all good natured harmless craic betwee the two of them. Joey in several posts claimed that everyone associated with the camp ie. Either by soldiering, marraige, or schooling etc could claim to be Shadowers.
I've know Joey all my life, him being the elder(by 6yrs) of course so my early memories would have been of as Marions big brother. As you all well know as youngster that age gap is huge but by the time you hit 20 its leveled out and we're all singing from the same hymn sheet so to speak and the friendships made back then have weathered the test of time and lasted a lifetime. Anyway I digress. The trend back then was that all kids were always out playing. Himself Paddy Troy,Billy o Connor, Shanks Smullen, Frank Sutton and Christy o Brien were all great friends. Little angels!! I think not nobody liked the craic and relished reliving some of their escapades than Mr Kelly himself.
The games: playing ball up against Mr Morans wall(No16), making camps in the plantations, racing boats in the channels, walking on stilts made outbof tbe empty 5lb bean cans. Getting a mouthfull of blisters from the pea shooters. Nearly getting himself killed Go-carting down Cahill's hill only being brought to an abrupt halt by the hut near the dentists on the bottom road..
Always an opportunist and in his own words 'Pearse Lads were no Daws' him and the lads used to 'stage' fights with the cadets when either the coal or turf was delivered. The crafty boys would start throwimg stones or snowballs (from behind wheelbarrows) at the cadets who in turn would throw what was nearest to hand back which was of course the firewood. Once the barrows were full off they'd go to fill up the coal-holes in all the houses. Guaranteeing a warm cosy fire/range fill the next delivery...
Never idle he was a messenger boy for Mr o Connor(Paddy) BOCS da, delivered papers and comics for Easons selling comics(another story) Caddied on the links of the golf club with Andy Heffernan and the other likely lads at the time. He got his love of gardening from helping Mrs McLoughlin, Lydon,McHale John McNamee and earned a few bob into the bargain collecting sheep manure!!! Only on the Curragh eh???
We had a great laugh reminising a couple of weeks ago when I was home and went to visit Joey and Kelly. He was the same old Joey. The memory he has for names of people, places and time is unbelievable. Lucky for us he has recorded and shared so much in this forum that although our lovely Pearse gent may no longer be physically with us his invaluable legacy has been immortalised for ever and day. This is something his family can in time draw strength from.
When I worked in McGoverns in Newbridge Joey was a regular customer and happily shared his immense knowlegde of music with me and helped me a lot in the best records to order he certainly knew his stuff. A great one for a bargain and discount as well. He always returned the compliment at Keadeen. There was always a crowd of Curragh kids gathered around Smoking Joes, Scobies Disco with our very own Joey holding court and dishing out a stash of extra supper tickets to the hungry ones amongst us. Alway kept a watchful eye on us younger ones making sure we never came to any harm. Particularly if anyone of us was the worse for ware. No Curragh youngster missed Hal Conways bus under Smokimg Joe's watch....
I could go on and on but its time I think to say goodbye. I'm so glad I got to see you old pal. I am going to miss your witty banter. Thus world had lost a diamond while Heaven had gained a sparkling new Star. The Curragh Mist will be dancing this way and that as young Kelly visits all his favourite spots.
I wish you Godspeed as you make your way to join up with your ma and da and all the other good Curragh family who are the advance party setting up the Curragh camp just over horizon. The rest of us will all be joining you in due course of that there is no doubt. So sit yourself back, feet up an pour yourself a pint of Arthur and a wee drop of Jameson light up a King Edward Stack the records ready for the movers and shakers to descend and let Fleetwood Mac's, Albatross and the sweet aroma of your cigar drift through the clouds to soothe and calm your lovely family here.
God Bless Joey.... UP PEARSE
MaryF.. X