In the run up to the first anniversary of his passing, we pause to reflect on the life and legacy of our beloved husband, son, brother, son-in-law, uncle and friend James who departed from our lives on the 17th of March 2023.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who sympathised with us throughout the year. We have found great comfort and solace in the overwhelming outpouring of love, support, and condolences from our family, friends, and community.

 

We wish to acknowledge the great effort people made to attend James’s wake, funeral mass and burial, especially those that travelled long distances and those that cut holidays short to be with us.

 

We are so grateful for the time people took to send us beautiful cards, mass cards, letters and gifts, those who made phone calls, sent text messages, social media posts and messages and those that left condolences on RIP.ie, it was heart-warming to read all your thoughtful words and to know how much James was loved.

 

To everyone that made a donation to Accessible Counselling Tullamore in James’s memory throughout the year, your generosity has been a gift to our community and we are so very thankful.

 

Our sincere thanks to neighbours, friends and the many businesses that brought refreshments, food, burcos and catering supplies – there are far too many to name individually but your kindness will not be forgotten. 

 

To those who catered at our home and provided an unquantifiable amount of unknown work behind the scenes during the course of the wake, especially Abbie, Mel, Ciara and Robyn who worked tirelessly looking after everyone. A huge thanks to John for providing us all with hot dinners every day.

 

To Jamie and everyone that helped him hand out Green Ribbons, those who organised parking, lighting, marquees, heating and to our neighbours who offered dwellings for cars which allowed for so many to be with us in our time of sorrow, thank you all. 

 

To the many friends and family members that sat with James for 3 days and nights and who through tears and laughter shared stories and such loving memories of James which brought us great comfort and joy.

 

To Martin for keeping a playlist of James’s favourite songs running.

To Ollie who stayed up all night gathering photos to make a slideshow.

To Pauline, Paul, Marie and Shane who said the rosary.

To Gillian and Shane for “minding the house”.

To Anthony for providing us with the Jackets for the lads.

To Irene, for the special touch ups.

To Becca for carrying out 2 (impossible) tasks and to Adam and Alex for helping her.

To Aidan for gathering foliage from the farm and to Lisa B for the lovely arrangement made from it for James’s coffin - wild and simple as he wanted!  

To Martin & Joe for driving the vans at the funeral and to An Garda Siochana for directing traffic during the funeral procession.

Thank you all.

 

To James’s brother Jason who looked after James after he passed and brought him to the farm one last time.

To our dear friends and neighbours in Cadamstown who came out to pay their last respects to James on the farm, it was such a touching sight that will stay with us all forever.  

 

To everyone that cared for James throughout his illness especially Nurse G and her side kick Joe. There aren’t enough words to thank you for the care and comfort you provided to James throughout his entire illness. There was so much laughter, love, tears (and food) shared over the year and each visit meant so much. 

 

To Dr. Michael Haverty, Karen and the team at Edgewater Medical for the care provided to James throughout his illness and especially in his last days and the morning of his passing.

 

Thank you to Mark, Linda and the team in Tully’s Pharmacy for their help and kindness to James. For preparing all his medication and taking time with us on many occasions to explain about changes and additions to his medications. 

 

During his illness James spent a lot of time in the day ward and as an in-patient in various wards of Tullamore Hospital where he encountered a wonderful team of people that showed him exceptional care and kindness. Special thanks to Toni and the phlebotomy team for their help and thoughtfulness and for making James’s hospital visits more bearable. To Medical 3 where James spent some of his last weeks. The compassion and care he received from Karen and her team was so appreciated and will never be forgotten.

 

To Dr. Mc Cormack and her team for their care and for the straight talking that was always appreciated by James and to the team on St. Brigid’s ward in St. Vincent’s Hospital for caring for James during his month long stay. 

 

To the Order of Malta for bringing James home for “Christmas Day” last February. It was the only thing he asked for throughout his illness and we are all so grateful that you made this happen. 

 

To the ambulance service, the carers, the public health nurses and palliative care team and to everyone that ensured James got home and was comfortable during his final 2 weeks. We will be forever grateful to you all for helping to fulfil his wish of spending his last days at home. 

 

Huge thanks to Michael for all your help during James’s last few days and for treating him with kindness and dignity, the same goes to Eddie, Jason Mc D and Damian. 

 

To Tee (James’s chauffeur and PA) for always being there for James while he was ill and for being a constant source of support and strength. 

 

Thank you to those who visited James while he was in hospital and at home, your company and chats brightened his days and were much appreciated.

 

To Martin from Leahy & Keyes Funeral Directors for his sensitive and professional handling of arrangements. Your guidance and support was a massive comfort to us all at a hugely difficult time and is truly appreciated.

 

To Fr. Fergal, a great friend to James and who provided guidance, prayer, and consolation throughout the funeral proceedings, we offer our heartfelt thanks. Your words of wisdom and comfort offered peace to our grieving hearts, and we are grateful for your unwavering presence during this challenging time.

 

To those who gave their time so generously to make James’s funeral service a true celebration of his wonderful Life. Huge thanks to our nieces and nephews who presented symbols of James’s life, to Jane and Eddie for their readings. To Dympna, Joe, Grainne, Melissa and Emma for saying prayers of the faithful and to Jason for his meaningful reflection. To Paul, Colin, John, Karen F and Karen O’ B and to the members of the HSE Staff Choir for their beautiful and poignant music which made the Mass so personal and special. 

 

For all those who formed Guards of honour at the Church and to all the people and businesses that lined the route on James’s final journey, he would have been mortified but so humbled to see people show such love and respect for him. The town stood still as he passed and it was such a wonderful tribute to James, so thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

 

To James Guing who gave the best graveside speech and who had us all in tears of sorrow and laughter in equal measure. James O’ Connor could not have asked for a better spokesman and would have been so proud of you. 

 

Huge thanks to the team at ACT for their support throughout the year and for their unwavering commitment to keeping James’s legacy alive. 

 

To Jason Mc D, who was a wonderful best friend and who was tasked with the hardest jobs of us all. You carried out James’s wishes to perfection and worked tirelessly throughout your grief. You did James so proud and gave him the best send off. We are all so thankful to you for that and for all the help and support you have given and continue to give us. Many thanks to Damian, Joe, Allen, Keith and to everyone for assisting you when needed. 

 

We also wish to acknowledge the countless acts of kindness and support from individuals whose names may have inadvertently been omitted. Your contributions, whether big or small, have made a difference and will always be remembered with gratitude.

 

Lastly, the most special thank you goes to James for his unwavering love, devotion, and companionship throughout his life. He has left a huge legacy behind through all the lives he has touched through his work in Fititout and ACT.     He brought joy, laughter, and countless cherished memories into our lives, which we will hold dear in our hearts forever.

We will love you and miss you always James xxx 

 

James’s First Anniversay Mass will take place next Sunday the 24th of March at 1pm in the Church of the Assumption Tullamore. 

 

“There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they are gone the light still remains”