This article is from page 3 of the 2006-09-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
CLARE lost a link with the nation’s celebrated past this weekend, with the death of one of the county’s oldest men, Clonlara native Lieutenant Colonel Sean Clancy, at the age of 105.
The centenarian, who stood with Michael Collins in Dublin Castle when the seat of British power was handed over to the Free State, celebrated his huge birthday in July.
Lt Col Clancy died in Dublin on Sunday, having made his final trip home to Clonlara last month.
Following the War of Independence, Sean Clancy attested for the National Army on May 22, 1922. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1923. He came under the command of the late Charles Haughey’s father, Johnny, as a member of the Fifth Battalion (infantry). Later he developed a friendship with the former Taoiseach’s brother, Fr Eoghan Haughey.
In 1922, he was present at the handover of Dublin Castle and just a few months later, marched in the State funeral of the assassinated Commander-in-Chief, General Collins.
Sean was a life-long Fine Gael supporter. A friend of the former Clare TD Frank Taylor (RIP), he continued the friendship with the late deputy’s daughter, General Election Candidate, Cllr Madeleine Taylor-Quinn, who described the retired soldier as an “intelligent and interesting conversationalist”.
“He was a man of high recognition and was held in high esteem by military personnel and by the Fine Gael party. After retiring from the party, he was of huge assisstance to Fine Gael leaders James Dillon and the former Taoiseach Liam Cosgrove,” she said, extending her sympathies to his family, including his nephew Michael Clancy in Clonlara.
Mourning the loss of the retired soldier, Fine Gael TD Pat Breen said it was a privilege to have made his acquaintance in recent years.
“He kept up with affairs, both nationally and in his native county, to the last. He was alert to the end and even knew who won the All-Ireland on Sunday,” he said.
The old soldier lived out his days in Newtown Park nursing home in Blackrock, Dublin. Lt Col Clancy was the oldest surviving person receiving a Military Service Pension for Service Rendered in the War of Independence, under the Military Service Pension Act 1924.
He was predeceased by his wife, Agnes Creagh from Castlebar, and is survived by his five children.
His remains will arrive at Donnybrook Church this evening at 7pm for requiem mass at 10am on Wednesday, followed by burial at Deansgrange Cemetery, Dublin.