'Deep void': Limerick parish mourns sudden passing of a community man to his core

The SUDDEN passing on December 16 last of well-known PJ Merrick, aged 62, of  Caherconlish has left us all, family, colleagues, neighbours and friends with inconsolable sorrow and with a deep void in our community.

He was such a tall strong man in the prime of his life that makes his passing all too difficult to take in and comprehend. 

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His years in life were spent well and exhibited the many qualities that made up his noble character.

He was a large part of  the life of Caherconlish. He gave a lot of his time in the advancement of his native place, yet he shared his time across into west county Tipperary from where his parents hailed from. 

In his architectural recycling business, he covered the whole of Ireland and developed warm friendships wherever he travelled. Many of his friends and neighbours were companions with him on those work destinations for 30 years.  “Are you coming for a small drive” he would ask with the guesswork left to you to figure out the journey’s end. 

Those small drives became tours as several hours later one would most likely end up at the top or bottom end of the Wild Atlantic Way with a visit to a historic site added in as a bonus. The trips were never boring and with the business completed the returns home were filled with debates on every subject but more often than not had a historic tinge to it.

PJ was never one that wanted a pat on the back for his community or voluntary work. He answered the call from all the organisations that he was a part of or helped to establish. It must be put on the record that it was PJ’s initial contact that the site of our community centre was acquired.

For that single reason PJ leaves a memorable and never-ending legacy. His list of involvements at local level include past officerships of clubs, Gaelic and soccer, Caherconlish Residents Association, founding member of Caherconlish Caherline Community, and the Caherconlish Tidy Towns Association. He was a former member of Caherconlish National School Board of Management Committee. He was a member of the Caherconlish Partnership responsible for the development at Ceol na hAbhainn residential estate and nursing home at Hundred Acres.

He was a historian who held a deep interest in local history and his genealogical research work has helped many people to find their roots. Along with Peter O’Grady, he penned two historical books on events in the War of Independence in west Tipperary.  

He recorded the headstones in over thirty graveyards across Tipperary and East Limerick leaving an invaluable resource to family research.  His work wasn’t finished in that field of interest, and his reservoir of knowledge will be a loss to us all.  He had a heart of gold and possessed a great sense of humour. 

He was predeceased by his wife Trish and his father Pat.  Though PJ has left us all too early the words attributed to Abraham Lincoln come to mind, “Its not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years”. PJ’s life was filled to the brim with an abundance of goodness. Ní bheidh a leithéad  ann arís. May he rest in peace.

-Submitted by Caherconlish notes correspondent Pat Hourigan