A special Clonmel family that always looks out for one another

“The family bond has always been there, and there’s nothing special about it,” although it is extremely obvious that there is nothing John Casey’s family wouldn’t do for him, and vice versa. His daughter Marie says, “He’s one in a million, a pure legend.”

Upon arrival at the door of their home in Heywood Heights, Clonmel, I’m greeted by his two beautiful dogs. John is at the door, the welcome is warm, and the handshake firm. Inside his lovely home, his daughter Marie joins us, and the chat begins.

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Born in Dublin, John’s parents originally came from Clonmel. His father ran a pork and bacon butcher’s shop. John remembers pigs’ heads and feet in the shop window on Sundrive Road, Crumlin. They lived around the corner in Sundrive Park. An only son, John keeps in close contact with his two sisters: Jean, with her husband Denis Holland, living in Malahide, Dublin, and Sheila O’ Keeffe who along with her husband Frank, owned the Crescent shop in Clonmel.

Making his first Communion in Crumlin, John recalls moving back to Clonmel after the shop in Dublin went ‘belly-up’. In Clonmel the family was split up for a time with the girls living with their mother in The Old Bridge and John living with his father and grandfather in Kickham Street. Counting themselves very lucky, they got a house in Barron Park and were once more living together.

John was a compositor in the Sporting Press. This was dangerous work and included pouring hot lead into frames. He started at age fifteen, serving seven years as an apprentice, on small money. Recalling his first wages of £2.6 shillings, John gave his mother £2 and kept six shillings for himself. After fourteen years he moved to the Nationalist where he worked for the next 37 years.

John met Helen Larkin from Irishtown, Clonmel, in the Sporting Press. They married in September 1967 and set up home in Heywood Heights. Helen had to leave work after she married, “it was like something from the dark ages,” John says. His wages were small and there were no supports then for people with young families. Helen worked part-time on the tote at the greyhound track on Thursday and Monday nights and later would mind children.

Diagnosed with cancer at 51, John’s beloved Helen sadly passed away in 2008. During this sad time, they had huge support from work, neighbours, family, and friends. They had been married for 41 years. They have four children, Joan, Seán, Marie, and Claire. Nine grandchildren: Seán’s children Eoin, Emma, Aoife and his wife Fiona. Marie’s children Amy, Harry and her husband Andrew, Joan’s daughter Logan and Claire’s children Evan, Millie, Ollie and her partner Declan, with one great grandchild Chloe to parents Evan and Angela.

Acknowledging that they have a strong family bond and “don’t kill each other”, Marie said they would drop everything to be there for her father and late mother. The three girls live locally while Seán is living in Monaghan. The family home is the meeting place.

They have a lovely tradition where everyone goes to John’s for breakfast on Christmas morning. Marie adds that after her mum Helen died, they decided to do things differently. John says it’s not a big house and everyone puts their presents under the tree until Christmas morning. It’s unruly but John loves it. John buys two scratch cards and gifts for everybody. Their first grandchild, Evan, has been giving out the presents since he was small. He’s 33 now.

‘Dad’ calls to them on occasions like birthdays and is a very generous father. Brilliant at selecting lovely cards, the sentiment is always special, but there is ‘a bit of rivalry’ among the sisters which Marie doubts he knew about. Comments like “you got a nicer card than us this year”, are bandied about. Laughing, John says “obviously I’m not doing things as good as I thought I was.”

For the last 20 years John has been getting his dinner delivered from his daughters, Monday to Thursday. His sister Sheila invites him for dinner every Tuesday. He looks after himself on Friday and Saturday. Sunday is spent with Joan. John admits there’s “very few kids would do that for their dad.”

Marie says, “They’re always there for each other as a family, it’s never planned, it’s an unwritten rule that Dad would always be respected in the family, and we do everything we can to help him.” Marie recalls going hiking with him on Sundays or camping in Clonea. They entertained themselves and made their own fun.

John was sixty years with the scouts in 2024 and was the Grand Marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in 2023, the year John received the highest award from the Scouts, a silver wolfhound medal, and a mayoral reception, honouring a lifetime of commitment. The Scout Hall in Sarsfield Street was given to them on a 99 year lease. Before Archdeacon Richard Cody P.P., V.F. retired, he asked the Scouts if they wanted to extend that lease, which naturally, they did! The Bishop of Waterford, Dr Russell, was also on the executive of the Scouts, so between the two of them they had no problem signing it. The building, formally the Boys Club, was dilapidated when they acquired it. They put thousands into it, so fundraising was and is a big part of the scout activities. Both agree they were never a GAA House as the commitment to both was not possible, but John says his grandchildren “are into everything.”

All through their life they went camping with the 22 Scouts for two weeks every year. The other leaders brought their families, and the children grew up together like an extended family. Marie adds; “The life skills learned by the scouts are invaluable and it’s all done through fun.”

Marie says they had no notions of grandeur while John adds, “there’s no such thing when you’re sitting in a mucky field.” They recall camping at Castle Gregory, Co. Kerry, during hurricane Charlie. Their tents and the marque blew away. “It was terrifying,” she adds. Spending the remaining ten days in a barn with only a two-ring cooker and two large pots, they cooked mince to feed forty children. Marie adds that it was a military operation, and John agrees.

John goes to the cemetery every day to visit his wife Helen and says he meets more people there than anywhere else, and keeps an eye on all the graves. John’s belief is to stay active, “get up and get on with it, regardless.” He walks up the woods every day with his dogs, Max, a red setter, and Snipe, an English setter, and his friend Seamus Healy. Spoiled for choice with twenty varied walks to go on, John doesn’t stay out as long now, about two hours saying “my legs aren’t as young as they used to be.” Marie adds “he’s a devil and has fallen into bogs, got caught in muck, and rescued a few times, putting the heart crossways in us.” Laughing, he points to the location on his phone; “It’s brilliant as I’m always found.”

John has been a member of the gun club in Clonmel for about 60 years and also a member of the Nire Gun Club. He cooked two pheasants last week that he bagged in January. They dined like kings as children, Marie smiles at the happy memories. John applauds the gun club’s conservation policies and restocking of fowl.

All through their married life they went out on a Saturday night, regardless of money, usually to Liam Daly’s in O Connell Street, now, sadly closed. John recalls Liam was a lovely generous man and great friend. They would also go for a pint or two after the dogs on a Thursday night.

Occasionally, when Helen was sick, he’d coax her to go out, but it was on the condition that he’d drive and be able to take her home, which he did, and of course, taxied everyone else home as well. Lovely memories that are tinged with sadness as Helen was very unwell but always tried to go. Marie praises her dad for his care of Helen saying he went to visit her every day when she was in hospital, wherever she was. He always got dressed up, except for one time when he went in his shooting attire only to be sent home. He smiles happily at that memory.

A man with a good eye and a generous heart for giving the best presents, he always bought Helen gorgeous jewellery and clothes that she loved, and they fitted just perfectly. Marie’s daughter says, “you’re just amazing granddad”, praise indeed.

He meets his former colleagues from The Nationalist for coffee every Thursday. Then Marie remembers to say that John was the organiser of the syndicate that won the national lottery, twice. The first was in 1993, when they won nearly half a million and got £14,000 each. The second time was in 2001 and they won a million, receiving £30,000 each. He still believes they’ll win a third time. Marie also mentions that he has bank accounts for all his grandchildren which he adds to every week since they were born. This can only be accessed after his death; “For them to enjoy the party afterwards”, he says.

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Despite the sad loss of his wife Helen, John has retained his enthusiasm and curiosity for life, which is infectious, and all his children have it. Marie says “we’re all fierce determined people because of it, with good humour and a really good work ethic which we now pass on to our kids.” This comes directly from John as does the love and loyalty to each other. A very special family indeed.

Since this essay was published in the Families of Clonmel book John Casey sadly passed away: Clonmel Applefest and The Nationalist would like to extend our condolences to the extended family and thank them for allowing this story to be published.

Clonmel Applefest is conjunction with The Nationalist are delighted to share the ten stories that comprise its ‘Families of Clonmel’ book launched during last September’s Applefest.

Ten Families originally from or who have lived in Clonmel for at least 10 years are included in the book for which nominations were sought and secured after a lengthy selection process.

For each cohort, the family head was interviewed in their homes with a final photograph by John D. Kelly included with the wider multigenerational family.

Families come from a wide spectrum of backgrounds, from well-established Clonmel natives to more recently arrived families.

Included in the book are: The Burkes, Caseys, Dempseys, Gleesons, Hacketts, Hewitts, Mcnamaras, Molloys, Purcells, and Sheikhs. All shared what they enjoy doing together and why family is important to them.

This project would not have been possible without the participation of a vibrant cohort of locally-based committed community writers who took an interest, interviewed and wrote about the selected families under the mentorship of Sean O’Connor, an accomplished writer and editor from Nenagh.

This ambitious project was made possible with a grant from the Arts Council of Ireland and additional support from Age-Friendly Tipperary and The Museum of Hidden Histories.

The festival theme in 2025 was ‘The Ties that Bind’ and these stories demonstrate love, humour and caring in a very real and meaningful way. Copies of the book can be purchased for € 12 at Hickey’s Bakery, the Narrow Space Gallery and Chou’s Cottage (including websites).

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