Great sadness at passing of Tipperary siblings in the USA within a month of each other
VERY SAD NEWS FROM AMERICA
Deepest sympathies to the Brunnock family on the very sad news over the past month of the passing of John Brunnock (Boston USA) and his sister Statia (Dallas, Texas), both late of Kilcash.
Statia passed away on May 9 and John on June 1, 2023, both in the US.
They were avid followers of the fortunes of Tipperary hurling and Kilsheelan Kilcash GAA teams all of their lives although far removed from their native soil. They never lost the grá for their native place.
The condolences of the entire community go to their sisters Teresa Egan (Kilnoracy) and Mary Boyle (Clonmel) and families.
May their gentle souls rest in peace.
John Brunnock was a regular visitor home over the years since he first emigrated to the US in 1962. Always a hard worker, John made a great life for himself and his family in the States, eventually running his own successful real estate business from Randolph, Boston, Massachusetts.
On visits home he loved nothing more than to catch up with family and old friends and regale of former times, remembering such things as school days in Carrick-on-Suir, and times spent in the handball alley at Ballypatrick, a sport he loved and continued to play for many years afterwards in America.
The talk inevitably always spun around to Tipperary hurling, recalling in fine detail the exploits of the great hurlers and teams of the past and the prospects of lifting the Liam McCarthy Cup that year. Always the hurling optimist he looked forward to the championship clash of the ash each year and got no greater pleasure than in the years when the ‘Blue and Gold’ emerged as champions.
And John always looked out for the footballers of Mayo too - home of his beloved wife - hoping, each passing year, they too could repeat an All-Ireland win last achieved in 1951. Alas it wasn't to be for Mayo in John’s lifetime.
John Brunnock never lost his love of his home place, his memories of his parents and family and he always loved being in the shadow of Slievenamon. On his last visit home, in the company of his family here in south Tipp, he made the trek to the top of Slievenamon once more, as he often did as a boy and young man, to watch over the homes of Tipperary, and to be ‘Alone, All Alone’ one last time.
He was a gentleman to his fingertips and a proud son of Tipperary.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.