Tributes paid to Offaly man Billy Cronly who died recently

Tullamore was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Billy Cronly, 6, Convent View who died on September 9.

His good friend Jack Finlay wrote this tribute to Billy. ''I have known the Cronly family all my life, I came in contact with Billy for the first time in 1956 when I was on the committee that ran the De Montfort hall.

We ran a youth club there with indoor football, snooker, table tennis and we had a T.V room which had all the stations, one of the few in the town and I met Billy there.

In the mid 60s when I opened the Cash and Carry in the Market Square, Billy came to work for me and later when I built the new Cash and Carry on the Clara Road.

I started Golden Harp Packers in part of the building and one of the staff was Catherine Conway who Billy later married.

Billy drove the lorry collecting supplies in Dublin, I had the diesel tank at my house in Dillon Street so Billy came up a few times a week to fill the tank so he got to know my father and mother and also my girls very well.

When I sold the Cash and Carry, I built the Golden Harp Ballroom, Billy came with me as I transferred Golden Harp Packer as well. Unfortunately things did not work out and I lost everything.

With the Ballroom I had made a lot of good contacts in the music scene so I was offered work by a very good friend the late Mick Quinn who owned the Olympic Ballroom in Dublin and the Arcadia in Bray.

I got Billy a job with Mick Quinn as a handy man looking after things, we drove to Dublin.

After a year I rented a house in Bray, I was also running the Bingo in the Arcadia once a week, as well as looking after bands for Mick, Billy helped at the Bingo.

Billy got married and raised his family, we kept in close contact as I travelled to Tullamore every weekend when my parents were alive.

Teresa my wife died in December 1998, and as Denise my youngest daughter - she had been attending St. John of God Carmona Services in Bray for a few years before Teresa sadly passed away and they took her in full time on Teresa's death. I started to run a Golf Classic in 2000 to raise funds for Carmona.

We started with the Niall Toibin Golf Classic which was a great success until Niall got into bad health.We followed with The Finbar Furey for a few years and then The Dickie Rock Golf Classic.

For 16 years the Classic was a great success and raised al lot of money for Carmona Services.

Billy was a great man for organising sponsorship, prizes and teams for the Classic from Tullamore and was well known in Bray Golf Club and to the committee for all the work he did.

There was a lot of sadness in Bray on Billy’s death.

In 2012 when I organised to put up a cross where my uncle Jack was shot outside Ballycumber, Billy was the man who did all the work.

He organised with Paddy Clarke for the cross to be made and dig the foundation and set the cross in concrete, he also arranged for the priest on the day of the official blessing. He also helped in the same way when I did likewise for the Finlay plot in Killeigh.

To sum it all up I looked on Billy as one of the family and they in turn knew what Billy meant to me a man I will never forget him R.I.P.''

Tullamore Pitch and Putt club said its members were very saddened to hear about the passing of Billy Cronly.

In a tribute they wrote, ''Billy was heavily involved in the Lord Mayor fundraiser in 1981 that raised a large sum of money through dances and other events. The money Billy helped raise allowed our club to install a state of the art sprinkler system which to this day is still one of the finest in the country for a pitch and putt club. Billy’s family have always been a huge part of our club and we are grateful to them all for the success we have, both on and off the course. Billy in recent years presented his brother Paddy’s memorial trophy to the winner of the Junior Club Matchplay and had been up to hit a few shots with his son Wayne. We extend our deepest sympathies to the Cronly family. May Billy rest in peace.''

Tullamore Town FC also extended condolences to all of Billy's family and friends. “Billy was a former chairman of our club and done great work over the years. R.I.P Billy from the committee, coaches and players of Tullamore Town FC,” said a spokesperson for the club

Billy was predeceased by his son Joe. He will be sadly missed by his loving wife Catherine and sons Derek, Alan, Willie and Wayne, daughters in law Susan, Arlene and Geraldine, grandchildren, brother Danny, brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.