Emotional final farewell to Skibb legend Cllr Joe Carroll

CLLR Joe Carroll was described as a ‘one of a kind’ and a larger-than-life character who advocated strongly for his beloved West Cork at his packed funeral on Monday.

The 73-year-old Dunmanway native and former County Mayor passed away last Friday following a short illness. His funeral mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Skibbereen, celebrated by Fr Kevin O’Regan and Fr Evin O’Brien, was attended by his large circle of friends, family and council colleagues.

The anticipated large turnout prompted the unusual move to close the street as the funeral cortege, with a guard of honour, made its way through the town and stopped outside his house.

Eulogies from his daughter Linda, grand-daughter Anna and his friend, County Mayor Cllr Mary Linehan Foley, aptly captured Joe’s spirit, his passion for his family, West Cork and sport.

Anna fondly remembered her granddad as just ‘Joe’ because when she was small he said didn’t want to be called granddad.

‘My last promise to him is that I’d take care of Sheila as I know that was his main worry and I will keep that promise. They absolutely adored each other,’ she said.  ‘He really was my best friend. We’d often head out for the day and go to the middle of nowhere. He’d play Dolly Parton and we’d sing together.’

She said she inherited his sense of humour, non-stop talking and the ability to look on the bright side. ‘He was a pure rogue and got away with murder but you could never stay mad with him. He was one of a kind and words can’t describe how much I love him.’

Linda thanked all those who reached out to the family since Joe’s death to tell them how her dad had helped them over the past 27 years in local politics. ‘He was an old-fashioned politician who just wanted to get things done is as quick as possible,’ she said. ‘Sheila has been his biggest champion and his support system down through the years.’

Linda also recalled his eventful time as a formidable bus driver in Skibbereen and how everyone knew him driving the back roads of Baltimore.

County Mayor Cllr Mary Linehan Foley said Joe was a man full of life, warmth, honesty and spirit. ‘His presence was enormous even on the rare occasions when he was quiet. We as councillors will feel that absence for a long time,’ she said.

‘Joe was my dear, dear friend, a gentle and kind soul. You could rely on Joe, he was a solid human being.’  She said there was ‘no show like a Joe Show’ and recalled him singing renditions of ‘The Old Dungarvan Oak’.

Offertory gifts included his hat to reflect his love of style; a hurley for his passion for sports; The Southern Star for local news; whisky for his love of socialising and his phone for his love of connection.