Garrymore mourns the late Peter Tierney

MARK OF RESPECT The late Peter Tierney.

Michael Commins

DEEP Sadness was occasioned throughout the Garrymore region with the passing of Peter Tierney from Roose, Hollymount. Peter (57) was chairman of the Garrymore GAA Club and had been coping with an illness for some time. He died peaceful at the family home on Friday morning.
Peter was a member of the staff of the ESB for 38 years, having joined the company back in 1979. He made life-long friends in Mayo and Galway and commanded huge respect among his colleagues.
The Tierney family have deep roots in Garrymore GAA Club and have been synonymous with the club over the decades. Peter and his brothers sported the red and white jerseys on numerous occasions over many years. He was elected club chairman three years ago.
Despite his deteriorating condition, Peter maintained his great love for Garrymore to the end, even arranging to attend the drawn county senior semi-final between Garrymore and Castlebar Mitchels last Sunday week. Peter sat in a car that was placed at the corner end of the terrace entrance at the MacHale Road side of the pitch from where he watched the entire game. Poignantly, a minute’s silence was observed in his honour and memory at the same venue prior to the Castlebar v Ballintubber county final just seven days later.
Garrymore GAA Club excelled in putting in place a traffic and parking plan of the highest calibre, reflecting yet again the amazing tradition of this renowned south Mayo club when it comes to doing things to perfection.
A vast crowd filed past the coffin during the reposing ceremony in Garrymore Community Centre on Sunday evening, followed by removal to St Joseph’s Church, Carras. Members of Garrymore GAA Club, the Hollymount Ladies Club (with whom his daughters play football) and colleagues from the ESB, formed a guard of honour as the cortege left Garrymore Centre and again on its arrival close to Carras Church.
Further removal took place from his residence on Monday to Roundfort Church with burial in the local cemetery following Requiem Mass celebrated by Fr Michael Murphy, PP, who also delivered a lovely and consoling homily.  Another guard of honour comprising of Garrymore Club members and friends from the ESB flanked the hearse on its way to Roundfort Cemetery.
Peter, who was predeceased by his son Martin, will be greatly missed by his wife Bernie, daughters Christine, Kathy and Rachel, his brothers Andy, John and Brendan, sisters Mary, Martina and Margaret, mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins, ESB colleagues, neighbours and friends.