Word is just filtering in of the unexpected death of the very well respected J,Doonan of the Meadstown Road,Dunderry,husband of the late Breda Stanley .
He was suffering from pneumonia in a Dublin Hospital ,as I understand it and died there..They had no children .
J was Down man and kicked football with them in his youth.If I remember correctly his brother subsequently played in goal for the County.He also played professional soccer in England and was interested in boxing and at one stage approached me to see would I be interested in setting up a club in Dunderry,Because of my time consuming involvement in the GAA I had to decline and the idea was stillborn.
He was a die hard Republican and spent several years in Long Kesh on remand ,never being charged with an offence ,as far as I know.
He was also a nurse by profession and worked for many years with Sister Consilio in the fields of addiction in which he was an acknowledged expert.
Indeed when one of my extended family had a habit he did all humanely possible to help and I will be eternally grateful to him for this.
I think but am not certain that no State Hospital gave him employment because of his Republican past but that Sister Concilio was above that sort of retribution ,I may be wrong in this.
Well after his retirement date he continued to ply his trade and was working until recently.
I found him to have been a decent guy and good neighbour.
I have no knowledge of the funeral arrangements yet.
Ar Dheis De go raibh hanam dilis.
P.S .J.was brought to Dunderry Church last evening at 7.30 to a good crowd of neighbours and a wider congregation of friends and colleagues and Father Hornick paid fair tribute to him and his late wife Breda Stanley,who he now joins after 9 years separation.
She too died around this time of the year and it is hard to realise that it is 9 years since she walked this earth.
They were devoted to each other and had to be considering the continuing disruption that occurred in their nursing and personal lives because of their Republican beliefs..
Long after he was able to walk with comfort because of wonky knees you would see J.on the bicycle with Breda alongside, as they prepared for the annual Dublin Marathon which they participated in until they were physically unable .I am full sure that all the funds raised were for the laudable aims of sister Concilio.
The funeral Mass took place this morning to a packed Church ,consisting of a combination of neighbours,work colleagues,Down family and friends ,Fellow Republicans and the wider GAA community from the North.including Oisin Mc Conville and several members of the Kilcoo Club ,the Down County Champions.
Orations were made at the graveside by both Joe Reilly ,Sinn Fein Councillor and Sister Concilio,who were ad idem on a number of things ,particularly that J.was an exemplary member of the caring profession and that he left a lasting impression on all who met him.
Around here we had no idea he was so sick but he himself must have known that the end was near as Sister CONSILIO said that she arranged his final confession shortly before he expired .
I called to see him last summer to thank him for all his efforts regarding my extended family member's difficulties and to inform him of the outcome.
I can say that there was no behaviour in the addiction world that would have surprised J.,HE HAD SEEN IT ALL and more.
I quizzed him about getting his memories down in writing and he said he intended to do this in due course.I hope he did, but suspect that death crept up on him before he could.
No matter.He lived his life by his beliefs and made no efforts to hide them.
Any man who has moving orations by a true blue Republican and a Sister verging on Sainthood can consider his life well spent.
Ar DHEIS dE GO RAIBH A HANAM.
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