Chicago and Newport
The death took place in Chicago on July 5, 2013 of Joe Kilroy, late of Newport, in his 88th year. Joe was the fifth child of a family of eight, born to the late Michael Kilroy (Newport) and Ann, (nee Leonard), formerly of Crossmolina. He was brother of Paddy (Newport) RIP, Marsy Reid (Newport) RIP, Peadar (Newport), Sr Margaret Joseph (Africa) RIP, Jim (Chicago), Dominick (Toronto) RIP and Maeve (Newport).
Joe enjoyed a healthy sporty youth while growing up in Newport, playing the usual games children played, and he enjoyed hunting rabbits and foxes on a Sunday with members of the Mc Loughlin, Hoban and O’Malley families.
At the time, there was no GAA pitch, no handball alley or swimming pool, but Clew Bay was on the doorstep for swimming and fishing. Joe loved to fish. He fished eels with hook and line from the Bridge, pollack from the Quay Wall with sally, bamboo or hazel rods, with hook and lines attached. He also enjoyed fishing for mackerel with line and spinner from the boat, and he used to help his uncle, John Kilroy, drafting for salmon. In July and August when the water was very low and barely covering the fish, he loved to chase the fresh trout.
Joe attended St Jarlath’s College in Tuam from 1939 to 1944, where he captained the college football team. He played for the Mayo County Team from 1944 to approximately 1948, He then emigrated to England and took up brick-laying, a trade he stuck with when he went to the United States in the early fifties. It was there he met and married Marie Spellman, whose father was from Newport, and they had eight children.
Joe continued to play football which he loved, and together with Billy Mc Manamon (RIP), he formed the new Mc Brides GAA Club.
Joe, whose funeral Mass was celebrated in the Queen of All Saints Basilica, Chicago with extended family members and friends taking part in the liturgy, is sadly missed by his loving wife, Marie, daughters Sheila and Siobhán, sons Pat, Mike, Joe, Ed, Kevin and Jerry, daughters-in-law and sons-in-law, by his brothers Peadar (Newport), Jim (Chicago) and sister Maeve (Newport) and Castlebar. He will be sadly missed by a large circle of cousins, relations and friends.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.