John McGloin

Mr John McGloin, Glann, Oughterard, Co Galway who died on March 3, 2010, was in his 90th year. The district bade farewell to another well-known and popular resident.

A native of Derrinacross, Garrison, Co Fermanagh he was the second youngest of a family of six of the late Joseph and Margaret (McGuire) McGloin. He lost his mother when he was just eleven years old. His father also suffered bad health at the time and he and his youngest sister, Jeannie, were looked after by an older sister, Kathleen. He celebrated his 90th Birthday on February 26 with his four sons, two daughters and eleven grandchildren.

In his young days he worked on the family farm. He often spoke of cycling to dances in Bundoran, which was a popular meeting place for young people in the late thirties and early forties. He moved to Belfast during the war years and jointed the Fire Service.

At the end of the war, like many more Irish people, he was attracted by the employment opportunities in the reconstruction of London. He worked in steel fixing and worked on many major projects including the construction of Ellstree Film Studios at Borehamwood.

It was in a dancehall in Tottenham Court Road in 1948 that he looked across the floor at the young woman that was to set his life path in another direction. He met Mary Clancy from Glann, Oughterard and instantly fell in love. They married in May 1949 in Quex Road Church, Kilburn. As Mary’s mother was on her own they moved from London to the family farm in Glann in September 1950. They constructed a new home where they raised a family of six and enjoyed 57 years of a happy and loving partnership.

John was one of the first to purchase a Ferguson 20 tractor, plough, and mower in the Oughterard area. He carried out major reclamation and drainage of the farm with the help of Christy Hynes of the Land Project of the Dept of Agriculture.

He supplemented his farm earnings by doing contract work for other farmers. He soon got the reputation of a gifted operator. In those years potatoes were sown in ridges by turning the sod with a spade. He developed a way of making them with the two-furrow Ferguson plough.

He was also to invent an attachment for the plough with the help of John Lydon, blacksmith, Moycullen, for skirting the sides of roads. The local County Council Engineer was so impressed he granted him a contract to skirt all public roads in West Galway.

John was to work with Galway County Council for the rest of his life until he retired in 1985.

After retirement he continued with his first love, farming. With the improvement in farm incomes as a result of joining the European Union he enjoyed rearing cattle and sheep until poor health curtailed him in 2007.

He was a quiet, sincere, and diligent family man. In 1999 he and Mary celebrated the Golden Jubilee of their wedding but sadly, seven years later, Mary was to pass away after fighting a three-year battle with cancer.

John loved his grandchildren and he visited them regularly in Westport, Dublin, Corrandulla and Gort. They loved him and before he left he would always grace their hands with a Euro note.

John was lovingly cared for in his home by his family in his last three years. He will be sadly missed by his sons, Kieran (Westport), John (Dublin), Emmet (Glann, Oughterard,) Dennis (Corrandulla); sister, Jeannie (New York); daughters, Teresa (Knockcarra), Mary (Gort); daughters-in-law, Mary and Geraldine; sons-in-law, Tom and Shawgat; extended family, neighbours and friends.

Following repose at the family home, removal took place to Our Lady of the Valley Church, Glann. Funeral Mass was celebrated by his neighbour, Fr Sean Manning. Concelebrant was Fr Jimmy Walsh. John was laid to rest beside his wife, Mary, in Faunakilla Cemetery. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.