By Larry Cooney
A packed St. Joseph’s Church, in Rockfield, Coolaney, Co. Sligo, gathered on Saturday afternoon, 4 February, as Westmeath native Joe Roarke made his final journey.
Many of the Warwickshire GAA stalwart’s friends, both local and nationwide, joined the mourners and his relatives from Birmingham and Mount Temple in Co. Westmeath to pay their final respects to one of the greatest GAA figures in Britain in the last half century before he was laid to rest in the shadow of the Ox Mountains.
The huge gathering present was evidence of the high esteem, in which Joe Roarke was held in both his adopted home for just over twenty years in Co. Sligo, as well as in Birmingham, where he lived since 1958 and passed away at the Marie Curie Hospice, Solihull on 17 January.
His poignant funeral service was also the third part and indeed the epilogue of what can only be described as the fulfilled life of a truly remarkable gentleman.
Many tributes
Since his passing a few weeks ago, many tributes have continued to be made and deservedly attributed to Joe’s enormous GAA legacy that he leaves behind and especially in the Midlands of Britain. But before being laid to rest, Fr. Holleran also spoke of his considerable attachment to and the strength that he gained from his faith.
Although the bi-lingual service began with his niece Margaret Gately presenting the celebrant with a red jersey of his home club of Caulry and also the white jersey of Warwickshire, with both being placed on the altar, it was Joe’s reliance on his faith that was so very well illuminated by his local parish priest who was also assisted by Fr. PJ Fitzpatrick, C.C of Moate.
Local man Christy O’Grady’s singing was also a very notable contribution to the occasion in the idyllic rural Sligo setting.
In his skilfully crafted homily, Fr. Holleran summarised Joe’s life under two categories, namely his memory and also his gift of faith and devotion to God. And few will argue and especially among the greater GAA fraternity that Joe Roarke left many great memories beginning with his own club in Caulry GFC in Mount Temple before deciding to emigrate and join his sister Mary in Birmingham in 1958. “Fair play to you, Joe, you were an inspiration,” was how Fr. Holleran concluded his homily.
Joe Roarke is survived by his wife Bea and only son Joey and sisters Mary (Birmingham), Rosaleen and brothers Ned, Jack, (Mount Temple), Willie (Thurles), and his late brother Seamus (Birmingham), sisters -in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, friends, neighbours and his many friends in the GAA.
Among Joe’s many friends who made the journey to Co. Sligo were former Warwickshire GAA chairman Larry McAuliffe, Martin Grogan (Roger Casement’s GAA – Coventry), former GAA of Britain provincial secretary Tadhg Meehan, current GAA of Britain provincial secretary Brendy Brien, former Warwickshire hurlers Larry Moore and Louis Moloney and lifelong friends Con Cunningham (Galway) Mick Lyons (Ballaghdereen), Sean Waldron (Ballyhaunis) and finally, Wexford men Jim Ryan and Eamon Lacey. All joined the mourners for the reception after the service in Joe’s favourite restaurant in Drumcliffe – Davis’s Yeats Tavern.
Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
