You could try writing to the Lennon family, Cournellan, Borris, Co. Carlow. On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 10:22 AM, Linda Shipman <leshipman1@att.net> wrote: > Thank you for this lengthy obituary....I hope you only had to cut and paste > to post it here. The Lennons are an interesting bunch. Now, if only I > could find where my connection lay....the fun of genealogy. We're planning > a visit to Carlow next month...and I really enjoy reading about the history > of this area of Ireland. Thank you again. > Linda > San Diego > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "michael purcell" <carlowmike@gmail.com> > To: <irl-carlow@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2010 11:17 AM > Subject: [IRL-CARLOW] Seamus Lennon > > > The subject of this obituary was a son of James Lennon T.D.E. mentioned in > the "War of Independence" reports. Lennon, Seamus. *28 April 2005* > > The Late Seamus Lennon > > As a man who took the highest pride in his Irishness, particularly his love > of the native language, it was highly appropriate that Seamus (Shem) > Lennon, > Pembroke, Carlow, should pass away on St. Patrick’s Day. > > Shem, aged 84, died on March 17 at Carlow District Hospital, where he had > been a patient for some three weeks, having been previously hospitalised at > Aut Evan Hospital, Kilkenny. He had been in failing health since late 2004. > > A native of Cournellan, Borris, Co.Carlow, Shem Lennon was born into a > political family. His father James Lennon was Sinn Fein TD, who was elected > as a member for Carlow to the first Dail in 1919. > > But while deep political interest was unavoidable for Shem, he never took > any active part in party politics throughout his life. He went on to become > an excellent teacher with a deep love for the Irish language - Irish and > history being his chosen university subjects and the subjects which he > taught primarily at second level throughout a long and distinguished > teaching career. > > The eldest of a family of six boys and one girl, Shem attended Inch > National > School, Borris and St. Mary’s College, Knockbeg, before going on to third > level education at University College Dublin, from where he graduated in > 1944. > > Following graduation, he taught briefly at two County Kilkenny primary > schools- in Skeoughvosteen and Baunafea before going to teach, in a > temporary capacity, at St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny. > > There followed secondary teaching stints for Shem in Birmingham and Hichin, > Hertfordshire. > > >From 1949 to 1951 Shem undertook a teaching sojourn in Africa, being based > in Accra, the Ghanean capital. > > Returning to Ireland in 1951 he took up her first permanent teaching > position at Carmelite College, Moate, County Westmeath, where he remained > until 1964. > > In 1959 Shem married Delia Deegan from Borris in The Church of The > Cathedral > of the Assumption, Carlow and the spent the fist five years of married life > in Moate. > > It was back to his native Carlow in 1964 when Shem was appointed to the > teaching staff at St. Mary’s College, Knockbeg, where he was to remain > until > his retirement in 1986, returning proudly for the next year when invited > back by the college management for substitute duties. > > Acknowledged as a very fine teacher, Shem Lennon was noted for his ability > to impart knowledge to his students, the great tolerance he showed towards > them, and the fair balance of attention he gave to each individual student. > > Since his passing many past pupils, particularly of Knockbeg, have spoken > of > their tremendous regard for him as a teacher and a person. > > A fluent Irish speaker, Shem transmitted his love of the language to his > three sons and family conversations were often through the medium of Irish. > > A very well-read man, Shem was a close follower of national and > international politics and of current affairs. > > He was a deeply religious man who served as a member of the Graiguecullen > Chapter of St. Vincent de Paul for 20 years. Shem also served loyally for > 25 > years on the board of management of Askea Boys National School, being > treasurer of the board. > > Shem Lennon had a life long interest in sport. The GAA was his first > sporting love. While he never played Gaelic games he was a lifelong > supporter and a regular patron down the years at matches in Dr. Cullen Park > as well as attending major GAA fixtures at many Leinster venues. > > The tricolour flew at half mast at Carlow GAA headquarters on Sunday, March > 20, the day Shem was laid to rest, as a mark of respect to this fine gael. > > In 1944 he cycled to Athy for the Carlow-Dublin Leinster SFC final and down > the years had attended many All-Ireland hurling and football finals in > Croke > Park. > > A man with deep knowledge of our native games, Shem was regarded as a first > class analyst of GAA matches. > > He also played golf and during his time in the midlands was, in 1957, > appointed captain of Moate Golf Club. His three sons are accomplished > golfers. > > A talented table tennis player, Shem was unbeatable in the Lennon household > in Cournellan when the family was growing up. > > One anecdote concerning table-tennis is that Ted Joyce would cycle out at > weekends from Borris to take on Shem at the game. > > Ted is one of the few surviving members of Carlow’s winning Leinster SFC > side of 1944- he played corner back - and was among the large attendance at > his good friend’s funeral. > > Another sporting memory concerns a trip by Shem to Dalymount Park with his > eldest son, Seamus, a self confessed soccer fanatic. The occasion was the > visit to Dublin of the great Santos team from Brazil, but Shem went to see > the team’s No 10 Pele - by common consent the greatest soccer player ever. > > It was an occasion Shem greatly enjoyed. > > This week Shem’s widow Delia echoed the general consensus about her husband > when describing him as "a gentle gentleman who never offended anyone". > > His first priority was always to his family and it is his wife, sons, his > beloved grandchildren and other relatives, who will feel most deeply the > huge void left by his passing. > > The remains were removed from Healy’s Funeral Home, Carlow to the Cathedral > of the Assumption on Saturday March 19, where they were received by Fr. > Sean > Kelly, PP Stradbally, Co. Laois, Shem’s first cousin. > > Fr. Moling Lennon, Shem’s brother, was chief celebrant at the Funeral Mass > on Sunday, which was attended by some 25 priests. The attendance included > the Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin, Jim Moriarty. > > In a homily during Mass, Shem’s son Seamus paid tribute to his father, > based > on a written tribute penned by his father’s brother Sean, who lives in > France. The central aspects of the homily dealt with Shem as a fine family > man, mentioning the things he achieved in life, and his Irishness. > > Fr. Moling reflected on Shem’s career as a teacher and on the other noble > qualities he brought to his life. > > During Mass symbols of Shem’s life were brought to the altar by his > grandchildren his cap, walking stick, and Irish book and a Carlow GAA > programme. > > Two days after Shem’s death, Knockbeg regained the Leinster Colleges SFC > ’A’ > after a lapse of 50 years an achievement in which Shem Lennon would have > taken great pride. The cup was left beside the coffin during the Funeral > Mass, while team members formed a guard of honour outside the Cathedral. > > Readings during Mass were by Shem’s son Seamus and grandchild Sarah, who > read in Irish. > > Burial took place immediately afterwards in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Carlow, > with Fr. Moling reciting the final prayers at the graveside. > > Those present at the funeral included Eddie Byrne, Cournellan, Chairman > Carlow Co. Board GAA, County Secretary Tommy O’Neill, Tom Kennedy, a life > long friend of Shem’s from Cournellan and chairman of the Dr. Cullen Park > Committee, and Odran Seely, Oifigeach Gaelach with the Carlow Co. Board. > > Shem is survived by is wife, Delia, sons Seamus (Dublin), Tomas (Carlow) > and > Moling (Carlow), brothers Sean (Nice France), Martin (Cournellan), Joe > (Cournellan), Padraig (Borris), Fr Moling, P.P. Naas and sister Mrs Aine > Murphy, Rathoe, Carlow. > > His is also survived by his grandchildren Sarah, Rebecca, James, Amy and > Stephen. daughters-in-law Therese, Geraldine and Mary, sisters-in-law > Maureen, Josephine (Jo), Suzanne, as well as nephews, nieces, relatives and > many friends. > > > Courtesy of the Nationalist > By Charlie Keegan > 1st April 2005 > ======================================= > Before you post a message to the IRL-CARLOW mailing list you must subscribe > to the List. Its FREE! > --------------------------------------- > To subscribe to the IRL-Carlow mailing list, send an email to > IRL-CARLOW-request@rootsweb.com with the word "subscribe" (without the > quotes) in the Subject box. 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