Last founding member of the Cappamore Show passes away
The late Pat Gleeson was part of the fabric of local society and helped nourish it
A CHAPTER in the history of the Cappamore Show has closed with the passing of its last founding member - Patrick (Pa) Gleeson.
A group of enthusiastic youngsters full of ambition and not afraid of hard work got together in the early 1950s to organise an agricultural show in Cappamore. Mr Gleeson was one of those.
On Sunday evening, May 19, members of Cappamore show were present at the removal of Mr Gleeson to lead a guard of honour from the funeral home along the street of Cappamore village.
John Hassett, Cappamore Show secretary, said Mr Gleeson was a fellow Murroe man who was born and lived all his life at Cappanuke, Murroe but was also very active in the community of Cappamore. The townland of Cappanuke was also home to another man synonymous with the show - Paddy Ryan (Luke).
“Pa was a founding member of Cappamore Show and its first treasurer. Early days of the show were challenging. Former chairperson Marie Hayes tells me funds for the first show came mainly from a church gate collection, admission charges and entry fees.
“A show dance was held in ‘Lynch's hall’, Doon Road. Profit from that helped pay out prize money. The show dance continued for many years in the Star Ballroom, Oyster Ballroom, Dromkeen, Cappamore Community Centre and Hayes' function room. In the early years, Pa introduced a system whereby members who were stewarding on show day would be given a steward's badge. On show night that badge was handed in and entitled the member to free admission to dance,” recalled Mr Hassett.
The current show secretary said as an officer of the show in 2024 he does not envy the challenges of those early days.
“Community development is not all about physical assets, it is about the intangible assets namely our volunteers and the betterment of our communities.
"Volunteers like Pa who engaged in local, agricultural and community advocacy groups in their day recognised that the State was not in a position to resource rural communities and therefore these groups depended on their home base to support and drive initiatives. A true bottom up approach to community development,” said Mr Hassett.
The attributes of trust, humility and personal principles are admirable qualities and Pa excelled in all three.
Mr Hassett said he first came to know Pa as a neighbour and while generations his senior he held great respect for Pa as a very progressive and neat farmer.
“As a farmer myself I aspire to neatness but sometimes fail, Pa however excelled in maintaining a neat farm. Pa was joined in his hard working ethic by his wife Mary Doyle from Buffanoka, Cappamore and they were a great team. Where you saw one you saw the other,” said Mr Hassett.
The couple were blessed with five children - Mary, Breda, June, Maggie and PJ.
“Farming can be a challenging occupation subject to many unpredictable forces namely the market and the weather. Pa excelled in his farming activities, meeting those competing forces. Pa had a great interest in horse breeding and was known in the sector for his famous stallions Sonny Light and Pere Humbert,” said Mr Hassett.
He said Mr Gleeson is one of the last of those pioneering community members from the 1950s onwards who mobilised to advocate a strong community voice of rural communities.
“Pa was involved in the key rural advocacy groups, NFA later IFA, agricultural shows, namely Cappamore Show, Macra, and the local water scheme, Glenstal water scheme. In Macra, Pa won an All-Ireland in public speaking and another in debating. In the water scheme he was involved in supplying a reliable clean water source to local homes and farms,” said Ms Hassett.
Mr Gleeson was part of the fabric of local society and helped to build and nourish it.
“On behalf of Cappamore Show, I wish to again offer our condolences to his wife Mary and his family. May he rest in peace,” said Mr Hassett.