Slán Abhaile, Joe Joe

Post date: Sep 5, 2014 5:24:46 PM

The death has occurred of Joe Joe FAHERTY

Clydagh, Moycullen, Galway

Late of Faherty Paints, Woodquay, Galway. Peacefully at his residence. Beloved husband of Mai and loving father of Elaine, Niall and Mark. Sadly missed by his loving family, grandchildren Lauren, Holly, Marc, Conor, Ryan, Maebh and Art, son-in-law Garret, daughters-in-law Aileen and Nikki, brothers Brendan and Johnny, sisters Úna, Tessie and Betty, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, extended family, relatives, neighbours and friends.

Reposing at Aiséirí, Church Road, Moycullen on Saturday 6th September 2014 from 3.30pm. Removal at 6.30pm to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Moycullen. Funeral on Sunday after 1.30pm Mass to the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only by request. Donations, if desired, to the Galway Hospice Foundation.

Joe Joe Faherty as young man was a central part of crowning achievment of the newly revitalised hurling club of the early sixties, the 1964 Intermediate Championship, which heralded Moycullen Hurling club's longest ever sojourn in Senior Hurling from 1965-1979. Joe was a skilled hurler in the midst of those Senior campaigns almost operating in midfield and almost always pivotal to Moycullen having a good day out.

But although a young man and centrally involved as a player, he was also the club secretary for most of the period. During his period as hurling club secretary, the initial development of the present grounds in Baile Doite was begun and that first single full size pitch came to fruition. The unrivalled New Year's Eve Moycullen Social became an institution and for a few years, the carnival of dancing, a popular part of summer in rural 1960/70s Ireland, came to Moycullen as a successful fundraiser for the GAA clubs. The secretary's life was no less complicated, with postponements, objections, appeals, minute books all drafted longhand by the one and only secretary, in the days before registrars, PRO's or even Juvenile Secretaries. After nearly 24/7 committment for two decades, Joe Joe took a back seat to raise a young family and build a successful business. He did return to manage the U21's for a few years in the late 1990's but throughout could always be found at the big games and often in a quiet corner at a few obscure ones too.

Many will remember Joe Joe as a gentleman as a retailer, as a golf buddy and the greatest memories lie of course with his family, but we remember him as hurler and a hurling man and a safe pair of hands for a generation in the life of the club.

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílís”