Final Farewell to Tommy Donnelly

There was no more fitting hymn to accompany Tommy Donnelly’s on his final journey than Our Lady of Knock, in tribute to his life-long faith and devotion.

Tommy and Kathleen Donnelly on their wedding day in 1954.

A large crowd turned out today to say farewell to one of the stalwarts of old Bearna, as much a part of life in the village as anyone could ever be. The pub, which still bears his family name, began its existence in a one-storey thatched cottage, which was replaced by the building we know today in c. 1900. 

Tommy’s predecessors lived through turbulent times. In 1922, the Black and Tans attempted to burn the building down by throwing a bomb through an upstairs window but, fortunately, it failed to ignite. However, their stables at the rear of the building were distroyed during the Civil War, on the same night as the coastguard station and the Twelve Pins were burnt down.

There are said to be bullet holes still to be seen in the masonry, made by the Black and Tans during attempts to burn the building.

In 1925, when Tommy was born to Nora and James, there was relative peace, but they lived through hard times. His father died when he was just 17, forcing him to give up his studies and return home to work full time in the grocery and bar.

He met the love of his life, Kathleen Curran, and married her in 1954. His uncle, Canon Nicholas Donnelly, performed the ceremony, and the official wedding photographs seem to have been taken outside, on the Pier Road side of the bar, a feat that would not be attempted now in a much busier time. 

The official wedding photograph was taken on the pier road side of Donnelly’s Bar and Grocery. Tommy’s uncle, Canon Nicholas Donnelly, married the happy couple.

At his funeral Mass in Bearna Church today, Fr Michael Brennan (PP) said that Tommy was never as comfortable behind the counter as his mother was. Over the years, Donnelly’s changed from a public house and shop, to a small grocery – although the interior stayed the same, with a long L-shaped bar across the full length of the building. 

Connacht Tribune, 24 February 1989

 Nora died in 1987, and two years later Kathleen and Tommy decided to retire. They sold up the business to the present owners, who transformed it back into Donnelly’s Bar as we know it today.

The couple enjoyed their new life together, and lived for many years in an apartment beside Padhraig and Nora Faherty in the village. Kathleen sadly died in 1999, and in 2014 Tommy fell, fracturing his ankle. He then moved into An Teaghlach Uilinn nursing home in Moycullen, where he remained until his death on November 21.

“He was a very honest, hard-working man,” Fr Brennan recalled. 

“Kathleen and he were very religious, they had a very strong and deep devotion to Our Lady – Tommy went to Lourdes over 50 times. He prayed the Rosary every day, sometimes several times a day, especially if someone asked him to pray for them.”

Fr Conor McDonough concelebrated the Mass, and spoke of his memories of first meeting Tommy Donnelly on the day of his ordination, just a few years ago. His abiding memory is of how grateful Tommy was about life, despite missing his beloved Kathleen and often being confined to his room in the nursing home. 

The Bearna Church adult choir convened specially to see Tommy on his way. Under her direction of John O’Meara, they began with Amazing Grace and sang Our Lady of Knock as his remains were taken from the Church for the last time. At the graveside in Rahoon Cemetery, local men kept with tradition by filling in the grave of their friend and neighbour.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilís. 

Tommy Donnelly’s remains are carried from Bearna Church by family members.

In the Bearna tradition, local men filled in Tommy’s grave, at Rahoon Cemetery.