This article is from page 8 of the 2006-01-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
AS NEW York police continue to investigate the murder of John Kelly, his shell-shocked family say he was simply in the “wrong place at the wrong time”.
A medical report confirmed the electrician died as a result of a single bullet to the back of the head. Police say they do not have any definite leads into the enquiry at this stage.
John was taking down Christmas lights outside the apartment block where he lived when he was shot dead.
His sister, Linda O’Shea, last spoke to him at Christmas. She told The Clare People her brother was a well respected member of the community, both in Clare and New York, where a lot of his friends were police officers.
“Wrong place, wrong time. It’s just a trag-
HUNDREDS of mourners turned out to pay
their final respects to Sixmilebridge native John
Kelly, who was laid to rest in his native soil on
Saturday.
The mass in St Finnachta’s parish church
was concelebrated by Frs Louis Murphy, John
McGovern, Harry Bohan, Pat Mulcahy and Tom
Fitzpatrick.
A booklet, bearing a picture of John on the
front, was specially printed for the occasion,
while John’s body was flown home from the
States in a green casket. The casket was draped
with several hurling and soccer jerseys, which
he had donned over the years.
Among the gifts presented in his memory in-
cluded a hurl, soccer ball, set of darts and golf
club. A teddy was also presented, in recognition
of his attempts at hunting: he shot a teddy bear,
just weeks before his death. A guard of honour
– comprising members of sports clubs with who
he was involved, in Clare and New York – lined
up outside the church, before his coffin was car-
ried to the cemetery nearby.
Fr Louis Murphy told mourners there were no
answers why the father-of-three was shot dead
outside his New York home, six days earlier.
“The very natural question arises for all of us:
why? There is no answer that is likely to satisfy edy. We have no answers. It is just a nightmare,” she said.
John attended primary school in Sixmilebridge and secondary in Shannon, before training as an electrician and then moving to the States.
He played hurling with Wolfe Tones, Sixmilebridge and Cratloe, and soccer for Bridge United, before emigrating. While living abroad, he also developed a keen interest in golf and took part in the qualifiers of the US amateur open last year.
John, who hadn’t returned home in over a decade, worked in three jobs to pay for flights home for his family every year.
“He never stopped working. We used to call him a workaholic,” added Linda. “His three children idolised him and he idolised those kids. Everything he did was geared towards Ann and the kids.”
“John loved a sing-song. He was a brilliant singer. Growing up, he was a typical young fella. I never remember my parents being upset at anything he did. He saw American as an opportunity, after qualifying as an electrician,” she said.
John’s romance with Ann (Murphy, of Sixmilebridge) began in the ballroom in Sixmilebridge and blossomed over many years.
John’s father, also John, a native of Clarecastle, said his son was a “law-abiding citizen. The way in which he was killed was no reflection on the way he lived.
“We don’t know how it happened or why it happened. We just know it did happen. It was an accident, but why it was done, we just don’t know.
“We do trust the New York police department. They will find the answer,” he said. us, to help us to understand. “Words fail us, but we attempt to help each other with consolation, with comfort and support,” he told the congregation which had packed into the church.
“John was a very special person, known by so many, loved by so many and cherished by so many, as a great, wonderful friend,” added the priest, who said John was an “exceptional sportsman”.
John’s sister Geraldine said he was “a doting husband, wonderful dad, loving son and extremely loyal friend”.
She said he worked hard in New York for almost 20 years, during which time he provided for his wife Ann and three children – Lauren (15), Nicole (10) and Kevin (9).
Recalling her brother’s youth, she joked that he could go for 48 hours without sleep, but could then fall asleep anywhere, even on the kitchen table.
“God help the person who had to wake him up. “But now he is in his final sleep. Sleep with the angels, John. We can never wake you,” said Geraldine.
A friend of John’s in New York told mourners the deceased was a big fan of Johnny Cash, and was exceptionally passionate about hurling.
He said, as a barman, John took no nonsense: “If someone messed up in the bar, they were out.”