Kildare obituary: Remembering the late Gerry Cannon, Allenwood South

On Monday morning, November 22, 2021, Gerry Cannon passed away unexpectedly at the age of 58, in his home in Allenwood South.

Gerry was a full-of-life character, with the most heartfelt, distinctive and infectious laugh. He was one of life’s gentlemen, well thought of by everyone who knew him.

Born in the UK in 1963, to Maura and Gerry Cannon, Gerry was the middle child, between his two sisters Linda and Jenny. His father Gerry Cannon, well known for his red Honda 50, was originally from Limerick city.

Hollywood

Maura, his mother, worked for the late parents of the famous actress Maureen O’Hara in the UK, and was originally from Allenwood South. After a few years in the UK, Gerry moved to Ireland with his mother Maura, father Gerry and two sisters Linda and Jenny, when he was eight years old.

A very shy boy back then, Gerry was sent to boarding school in Clara, Co Offaly.

He didn’t like boarding school very much, so left and took up his schooling closer to home in Rathangan.

Reared in Allenwood South, Gerry took up an apprenticeship in Cullens Kitchens in Prosperous in 1979.

He worked his way up to become the head spray painter for 20 years.

In 1999, Gerry parted from Cullens to start his own journey by setting up his own spray painting business behind his family home in Allenwood. In recent years he took a step back from the spray painting and took up the role as a security officer for Grifols and Noonan’s.

Gerry was accompanied on his journey through life by Catherine, his sweetheart from age of 16. Catherine was from just outside Edenderry.

Gerry first laid eyes on her when he was on the bus going to boarding school.

He believed he would marry Catherine one day before he even met her. Years later they were first introduced to each other by Gerry’s sister Jenny who became friends with Catherine while working in the mushroom factory near Carbury.

Married

They married in 1982 at the tender age of 17 and 18 years of age.

Over a five year period, they built their family home in Allenwood, moving in the same year as the birth of their first child Stacey.

Over the next few years they welcomed three more children, Dean, Jason and Nicole. Life was busy but very fulfilling for the Cannons, making loads of precious and memorable family memories together.

Every evening after work there would be great excitement in the Cannon household, as Gerry would bring home penny sweets and Stinger bars for the kids.

On Friday nights after the weekly shopping, he would bring the family out to dinner to Chicken America in Newbridge, which became a great family tradition.

An avid Kildare GAA supporter, Gerry spent many a weekend going to Kildare matches with his family and friends.

Gerry’s passion on the sideline was heard by everyone.

He would come alive when the opportunity to talk about Kildare football came up.

His two daughters Stacey and Nicole played football for Na Fíanna ladies and he loved going to the games to support them.

Stacey went on to play intercounty football for Kildare ladies. Gerry took great pride in seeing Stacey line out with the county team over the years and indeed win an All-Ireland medal on the same day in 2004 as Allenwood won their only senior football championship title.

Gerrys son Dean also played football for Allenwood, but his first love was always soccer, playing with Allenwood Celtic over the years.

His second son Jason followed in Gerry’s footsteps, having a keen interest in working with Gerry in the work shed, learning the spray painting trade.

He was very proud of all his kids.

Gerry loved laughing and joking and never took life too seriously. He lived in the moment. He was always happy and lifted people’s spirits daily.

He loved watching all kinds of sports and western films and would watch the same film over and over again. Gerry was also an avid Arsenal fan. He was always a good man to give a slagging but not as good taking one.

Gerry loved the simple life, going to the local Travellers Rest pub on a Saturday night for a few pints of Guinness, playing pool and backing a few horses. He was a good man for telling you a tip he had… after the horse had won. He had an incredible capacity to retain information and a good man to have in your corner during a quiz.

He was also well known for singing his version The Dance by Garth Brooks on karaoke on holidays or at a good wedding. To his grandchildren, Lucie Lou, Emilie Rose, Jayden, Cassie and Bobby, ‘GaGa’ was the perfect name for Gerry’s bubbly personality.

He adored his grandkids and they adored him. He had great time for his sons in law Diarmuid and Stephen and daughters- in-law Claire and Mary.

Wit

In good times and bad, Gerry was never one for holding grudges and showed great humour and wit to all who met him. A man with the greatest cheeky smile who was always up for the craic, the most used word to describe Gerry around the time of his passing was ‘gentleman’.

Gerry is missed so much and will be forever remembered as the most incredible, lovable son, brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, cousin and friend. is passing was the final whistle of a life well played.

His funeral took place to Allen Cemetery on November 27, following requiem mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Allenwood.