A 65-year-old man, whose body lay undiscovered for several months at his home in Co Kerry where he lived alone, was today remembered at his funeral Mass as “a quiet and gentle man who never bothered anyone and didn’t want anyone to bother him either”.
Mourners packed St Brigid’s Church in Duagh, North Kerry to say their final farewell to Michael Sheehy from Scrahan outside the village and to extend their sympathies to his siblings, Margaret, Nuala and Leo, and his nieces and nephew, Triona, Katelyn, John and other relatives.
Mr Sheehy’s remains were found by gardaí at his well-maintained bungalow at Scrahan off the Abbeyfeale road after they were alerted by Mr Sheehy’s sister, Nuala, when she called to the house at 3pm on December 30th. When she got no response, she became concerned for her brother’s welfare.
Mr Sheehy’s remains were taken to University Hospital Kerry in Tralee for a postmortem examination by State Pathologist, Dr Linda Mulligan, which confirmed that he had been dead for some time. Garda inquiries suggest he was last seen alive in July 2023.
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Today at Mr Sheehy’s funeral Mass, Fr Declan O’Connor told how the late Mr Sheehy was someone he remembered when he himself was growing up in Duagh and, although he had not met him in some time, his sister Margaret in Listowel had kept him informed about all the Sheehy family.
As Mr Sheehy’s remains were brought up the nave to the strains of Cat Stevens’ Morning Has Broken, Fr O’Connor extended a particular welcome to Margaret, who was tuning into the funeral Mass from Lystoll Lodge Nursing Home.
He said the late Mr Sheehy was “affectionately known as Mick to family and friends” as he painted a poignant and affecting picture of the reclusive and private bachelor, who had converted much of the 60 acre holding at Scrahan to forestry.
“Mick was quiet, gentle, lived on his own, a bit of a recluse in his own way but then he enjoyed his own company – he was always so full of life and had so much to look forward to and his death brings us face to face with the mystery of life – that we are all just passing through this short life.”
Fr O’Connor recalled how the late Mr Sheehy was born to John and Betty 65 years ago and had spent his entire life farming in Scrahan. After attending school in Duagh, he had proved himself an intelligent man “who was good with his hands”, repairing and adapting farm machinery.
He told how in 1982, the late Mr Sheehy bought a brand new Zetor Crystal tractor. Unhappy with the design of the tractor cab, he dismantled it and although the family thought he was “daft”, he proved them wrong by rebuilding it to suit his needs and “it turned out perfect”.
“Mick was that kind of person, he was a genius in his own little way, quiet, gentle, lived on his own never bothered anybody and didn’t want anybody to bother him either, enjoying his own company – he loved his own music and lived in his own little pad at home,” said Fr O’Connor.
He said that celebrating a funeral at Christmas was especially difficult given the great focus at Christmas on family. He noted it was something the Sheehy family had experienced before with both their father, John, and their mother, Betty, passing away in early January in 1977 and 2006 respectively.
“Trying to come to terms with the loss of a loved one, especially someone who passes away suddenly is never easy – it is hard to find words to comfort the family and in fact all we can do is to say to them – cherish the memories that you have today,” as he urged people to continue caring for each other.
Soprano Martina McAuliffe delivered a powerful rendition of Nearer My God to Thee as Mr Sheehy’s remains were brought from the church to a hearse for interment in the nearby Springmount cemetery.
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