The death has occurred of Jack Kelly from Portarlington, one of Laois’s oldest people, at the age of 102,
Born in 1919, Jack would have been due to celebrate his 103rd birthday in June of this year.
Jack passed away peacefully in the company of his loving family and in the excellent and tender care of the management and staff in Oakdale Nursing Home Portarlington.
Predeceased by his wife Mary Kate and daughter Ann. Sadly missed by his grandson David and his wife Claire, sister in-law Bridie, son in-law Jim, grandchildren Louise, Barry and Kevin, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, neighbours and a large circle of friends.
Jack’s wife Mary Kate died in 1979 at the age of 56. She had been sick for a number of years prior to that and was minded by Jack in their home in Portnahinch.
Jack and Mary Kate had one daughter – Ann – who married Jim Cox from nearby Cloneygowan. They moved with their young family to Melbourne in Australia in the early 1990s. Ann sadly passed away in Australia in 2011.
A massive GAA supporter, Jack was presented with a Laois jersey with the number 100 on by a number of the Laois senior football players in 2019 at a mini celebration in Oakdale Nursing Home. He was the first resident of Oakdale to reach that milestone.
In a chat with us at his party in 2019, he recalled games from the 1930s when Laois won three Leinster titles in a row, 1946 when they won their last Leinster championship prior to 2003, the league success in 1986, the Micko years and up to the current day.
He played with a now defunct North Portarlington team in his younger days but was an O’Dempsey’s club man. And he classified Jack Kenna, who attended his 100th birthday party as among the best Laois players of all time.
Jack will be reposing at Moloney’s Funeral Home, Mountmellick, on Wednesday evening from 5pm to 7pm with recital of the rosary at 6.45pm.
Removal by Whelehan Funeral Directors on Thursday morning at 10.40am to arrive at Saint Joseph’s Church, Mountmellick, for 11am Requiem Mass which will be streamed live on this link https://www.mountmellickparish.ie/.
Interment to follow in Saint Joseph’s Cemetery, Mountmellick.
Current Covid restrictions apply. Face masks to be worn in the funeral home and in the church, please. The family would like to thank you for your co-operation, understanding and support during this sensitive and sad time.
SEE ALSO – Shock at sudden death of young Portarlington teacher
