Sad farewell to Aghacashel’s beloved Jackie Lee

Jackie Lee - the man, the legend and the landmark will be laid to rest today, Wednesday, January 10 after passing away on Sunday in his 92nd year.
Jackie Lee's name was synonymous with Aghacashel. Not only did he run the shop and Post Office for over 72 years, he was involved in everything that happened in the parish; his shop was a landmark for Aghacahel and the starting point for popular walks up Slieve an Iariann.

Jackie was much more than a shop owner and postmaster, he was a travel agent, peace commissioner, shipping merchant, tourist information centre, hiking guide and delivery man!
He was the local area correspondent for this paper for a few decades, and rightly so, because if something was happening locally - Jackie was in the know! Jackie was an avid reader of the Leitrim Observer and looked forward to seeing it every Wednesday.

The former Leitrim Person of the Year and a founding member of The Kiltubrid Pipe Band. Jackie played in the band's first event in 1949, when they performed ‘Faith of Our Father.’

The Kiltubrid Pipe Band stated, “It is with great sadness that we learned today of the sad passing of former band member Jack Lee, Aghacashel.
“Jack served as a piper on our band throughout his life and was a member of the very first band which was formed. Many of us have fond memories of playing with Jack both at home and abroad and travelling on his bus to band outings.
“Jack celebrated the band’s 70th anniversary with us in 2019 where he enjoyed meeting up with former band mates. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. We offer our deepest sympathies to the Lee family at this difficult time. May Jack rest in peace.”

Because of the long association of the Lee family with Ballinamore Athletic Club, they first joined in 1973, Ballinamore AC has cancelled training this week.
“Marie and Jackie Lee drove numerous busloads of competitors to training and competition down the years, arranged the training of athletes in Drumcong and, among other areas of assistance to the club and arranged numerous Church Gate Collections,” according to Padraig Griffin, Ballinamore AC.

In 2018, the Leitrim Observer interviewed Jackie on the day that the post office closed in Aghacahel.
The Lees had been running the postal service in Aghacashel since 1875, long before the foundation of the Irish State and An Post! The Lee family provided a link for locals to the world outside their parish.
Jackie told the Observer he took over the post office just out of school. It was a service he grew up with and he watched it grow, expand and become computerised. He was sad to see the career that he reared his 11 children on close down, but mostly he was emotional for the local community who relied upon it.
Jackie recalled that he had often booked the ticket for people to emigrate to America, drove them to Shannon to get the plane and then organised shipping to and from the United States.

Recently pre-deceased by his beautiful daughter, Patricia, Jackie will be missed by his wife Marie, sons Ciaran, Conor, Vincent, Adrian, David and Emmett, and daughters Antoinette, Jacinta, Fiona, and Naomi.
Jackie was grandfather to 34 and great-grandfather to two.
He will also be sadly missed by his sister, Carrie, his daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, extended family, friends and neighbours.
Jackie will repose at Smith's Funeral Home, Ballinamore on Tuesday, January 10.
He will be removed to St Brigid's Church, Drumcong at 7pm on Tuesday.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 11, at 11am with burial afterwards in Drumcong Cemetery.
The editor and staff of the Leitrim Observer wish to express our heartfeltt sympathies to the Lee family, his friends and the community of Aghacahel and Kiltubrid on the loss of such a gentleman and community stalwart.