Phil Walsh very kindly emailed us on Tuesday night (16th May 2017) to share the sad news that his father, Maurice, peacefully went to his Eternal Reward on Tuesday morning. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the Walsh Family (and all other relatives) at this challenging time on the very sad departure of dear Maurice, R.I.P. – a true gentleman of the very highest calibre and friend supreme of his native Millstreet. He has most certainly left his wonderful mark on the history of Millstreet especially in our Museum. So many know the name of Maurice Walsh a native of his beloved Dooneen beside Millstreet Railway Station. How magnificently generous he has been to Millstreet in his presenting of such treasured items such as the now famous Gramophone and “Dobo” – the Mobo Horse. These two items alone delight our many visitors national and international. May Maurice rest in peace as he joins his dear wife Eva (who died in January 2017) in their Heavenly Home. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamnacha dílse (May they both rest in peace). Maurice loved to receive “Clara News” and constantly pictured Clara Mountain as he fondly remembered it from childhood. He made available to Millstreet Museum the many books, photographs and historic items from the very impressive collection of the late Paddy Dillon. He was also in regular phone communication with the Garvey Family and treasured the occasion when he met Joe Garvey at Millstreet Museum when he visited Millstreet for the funeral of his brother, John (Jack) who had given many wonderful years of dedicated service to CIE at Millstreet Railway Station. Maurice was such a gifted gentleman in such areas as a craftsman supreme and a magnificent calligrapher. Below we share a special 1980s image of the truly marvellous Couple. It has been a great privilege to have known and met with Maurice and Eva both of whom have so enriched our lives. (S.R.)
A gentleman. Rest in peace Maurice.
My dad Maurice often spoke of the good times cycling the countryside with his best friend Joe Garvey. Thanks for your kind words.
Thank you for the kind words. Maurice, my dad, would have liked to have come home to Millstreet and perhaps stay, but was too weak to travel in his last couple of years. And he hadn’t got around to asking me Mum about that idea either. His funeral service is planned for 10am at Sacred Heart Church, Ruislip, West London on Friday 9th June.
Dad would often reminisce about many good friends and family, and had some very old photos and also cine film from our annual visits in 1960s and 70s.
He asked me to recite at his funeral “AvonDu”, verses by JJ Callanan from the poet’s time spent beside the Blackwater, so I’ll do my best.
The Avondu verses by JJ Callanan are part of his much longer poem “The Recluse of Inchidoney”. Avondu refers to the Blackwater, and there are references to Clara, Caherbarnagh, and more in the poem. It’s a beautifully apt piece. The Recluse of Inchidoney can be read here in the online book: “The Poems of J.J. Callanan“. Our condolences to the Walsh family. Below are the Avondu verses:
On Cleada’s’ hill the moon is bright.
Dark Avondu still rolls in light.
All changeless is that mountain’s head
That river still seeks ocean’s bed,
The calm blue waters of Loch Lene
Still kiss their own sweet isles of green.
But Where’s the heart as firm and true
As hill, or lake, cht Avondu?
It may not be, the firmest heart
From all it loves must often
putpart,A look, a word will quench the flame
That time or fate could never tame.
And there are feelings proud and high
That thro’ all changes cannot die.
That strive with love and conquer too ;
I knew them all by Avondu.
How cross and wayward still is fate
I’ve leam’d at last but learn’d too late,
I never spoke of love, ’twere vain,
I knew it, still I dragg’d my chain.
I had not, never had a hope
But who ‘gainst passion’s tide can cope.
Headlong it swept this bosom thro’
And left it waste by Avondu.
O Avondu I wish I were
As once upon that mountain bare.
Where thy young waters laugh and shine
On the wild breast of Meenganine,
I wish I were by Cleada’s hill,
Or by Glenluachra’s rushy rill,
But no! — I never more shall view
Those scenes I loved by Avondu.
Farewell ye soft and purple streaks
Of evening on the beauteous Reeks*
Farewell ye mists that lov’d to ride
On Cahir-bearna’s stormy side.
Farewell November’s moaning breeze.
Wild Minstrel of the dying trees,
Clara ! a fond farewell to you
No more we meet by Avondu,
No more — but thou O glorious hill
Lift to the moon thy forehead still.
Flow on, flow on, thou dark swift river
Upon thy free wild course for yer.
Exult young hearts in lifetime’s spring
And taste the joys pure love can bring,
But wanderer go — they’re not for you !
Farewell, farewell, sweet Avondu.
=======
On Reading Callanan’s ‘The Recluse Of Inchydoney
by Francis Duggan
The poem ‘The Recluse Of Inchydoney’ of years has lived a two centuries span
Written by a famous County Cork poet his name Was J J Callanan
He died in his early thirties in Lisbon in Portugal where he had gone for health mending sunshine
As a poet and a gaelic translator one of the last of the true bardic line
His immortal poem ‘Gougane Barra’ i loved even as a schoolboy
The music in his rhyming verses a thing of beauty to read and enjoy
He was a person who loved Nature his poems on them do not have a use by date
Inspired by his Cork rural surroundings such beauty in words he did create
Since he died in 1829 many Seasons in time have gone
The beauty in his words is living and his legend in death living on
In the World now many not like him and perhaps none in Cork or Cork County today
Even in his time true bards were not many and that does seem a fair thing to say
On reading Callanan’s ‘The Recluse Of Inchydoney’ it took me to places far away
To Clara and to Caherbarnagh places i loved in a bygone day
The poet who died and was buried in Lisbon in Portugal in the year of eighteen twenty nine
Where he had gone for warmer weather in hope of health mending sunshine.
http://francisrhymer.blogspot.ie/2011/12/on-reading-callanans-recluse-of.html
There is a typo in a verse above that should read:
“It may not be, the firmest heart
From all it loves must often part,
A look, a word will quench the flame
That time or fate could never tame.
And there are feelings proud and high
That thro’ all changes cannot die.
That strive with love and conquer too ;
I knew them all by Avondu.”
It’s important because he fell in love with the McCarthy girl he was tutoring but the family would not allow them to be together and they had to ‘part’ he not being considered ‘good enough’ for her – he left with a broken heart from which he never recovered. He must have had very mixed feelings about his time here.
Jack Lane