Carrick-on-Suir GAA club mourns death of its vice-president John Lonergan

Carrick Swan Club members were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of their club vice-president John Lonergan from Fairgreen, Fiddown and formerly of Greenhill Close, Carrick-on-Suir, who passed to his eternal reward on Wednesday, November 19.

Although not in good health for many years, John’s passing after an illness borne with great dignity still came as a shock to all who knew him.

John Lonergan was born on June 28, 1953 to his late parents Sean and Annie of Ard Mhuire, Carrick and was youngest of eight children.

He was pre-deceased by his siblings Eily, Mary, Peggy, Anna, William and Noreen and is survived by his sister Phylis.

The Lonergans were a great Swan family. I can still picture John’s late mother Annie with her daughters and grandchildren down at the old Swan Club wall waiting for the bus to take all the supporters to the matches.

Annie’s brother Nicholas Connors (John’s uncle) was a legendary full back with the club and was on the team that won the club’s first senior hurling title in 1933.

No wonder John did likewise with his own family, who all followed the Swan wherever they played and supported the club’s fundraising initiatives.

John played up to Under 21 level and was successful on underage teams as he lined out in the back line. He was a hardy uncompromising player as you had to be in those days.

His real ability, however, lay in the years following his own playing days as he helped the club in whatever way he could.

Despite trying to balance raising a young family with his work life, he still found time to help fundraise and act as a selector on club teams.

He was elected Swan GAA Club chairman in 2010 and at the time of his passing was the club’s vice-president, a position he assumed following the passing of his brother William, who was vice-president when he died in 2014.

It was during John’s term as chairman that the idea of purchasing a site for a new Swan Club playing grounds was first brought to the club committee. In 2012, the Field Sub-Committee was formed with John among its members.

He never failed to attend Swan Club AGMs and always gave his opinions on club related matters. He never shied away from asking questions that required answers.

He believed the AGM was the place to ask questions and that it was the duty of club members to attend.

In 1972, John caught the eye of Dolores Kavanagh, from Griffith Avenue in Clonmel.

They met at the Collins Dance Hall, which was a Mecca for young people during the showband era. The couple married in 1974 and welcomed their children over the coming years.

The Lonergan family had many happy years and then devastation hit them in 2009 when their beloved daughter Sarah passed away so young after illness.

It was a traumatic time in all of their lives and the loss of Sarah is still very much felt today. The Swan Club host a tournament final every year in Sarah’s honour as she was one of the club’s great supporters.

John began his working life in Carrick Tannery. In the early ‘70s, he started work on the construction of Merck Sharp & Dohme in Ballydine. He got a job at the factory in 1976 and worked there up to his retirement.

John had a great sense of humour and was a very charitable man. He was one of the main organisers of the Galway to Carrick-on-Suir cycles in the early ‘80s that raised funds for Carrick’s St Brigid’s District Hospital and Carrick Day Care Centre.

John was laid to rest in St Mary’s Cemetery on Saturday, November 22 after his Requiem Mass celebrated in St Nicholas Church in Carrick-on-Suir by Father Paul Waldron.

Prior to the Mass, family members did him proud as they lined both sides of the hearse from Walsh’s Funeral Home to St Nicholas Church. The funeral procession passed the old Swan Club en route.

The Mass will be remembered for a moving eulogy delivered by John’s son, John Paul, who spoke about the wonderful husband, father and grandfather John was during his life.

John’s family played a major part in the Mass. The offertory procession was done by his daughters Sinead and Pamela while gifts were brought to the altar by grandchildren Rebecca, Kieran and Sarah and a family friend Pauline.

After the ceremony, John was carried from the church by family members and was accorded an official guard of honour by Swan GAA Club members as the cortége made its way to St Mary’s Cemetery.

Following prayers at the graveside, John’s nephew Dermot Foley gave him a great send off by singing a rousing rendition of Slievenamon.

All were then invited to the Swan Hall for refreshments. The Swan Hall is synonymous with the Lonergan name as John’s late brother William was the driving force behind its acquisition and subsequent renovation.

Above all else, John was a family man who adored all his family. He took great pride in all their achievements be it academic or sporting.

He will be dearly missed by his loving wife Dolores, his children John Paul, Sinead and Pamela, sister Phylis, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, grandchildren Rebecca, Kieran, Sarah, Annie, Tommy, Rhys, Kaiden, Caoimhe, Erin and Fiadh, sons-in-law Peter and Patrick, daughter-in-law Claire, nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends.

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