Death of former Mayo building contractor

THE death has taken place of Joe McCormack, Barley Hill, Westport.

A native of Ellison Street, Castlebar, he was a member of one of Mayo's best known and most respected business families.

Aged 94, he had been a director of McCormack Construction which carried out many housing schemes and other infrastructural project in the county over the years.

He was held in very high regard within the building trade and his staff were very loyal to him.

In his youth, Joe was an outstanding sportsman and he was a member of the first Castlebar Celtic team to lift the Connaught Club on June 29, 1947, defeating Galway Rovers 1-0 in the final at Maryland, Castlebar.

The names of all the players on that team are still fondly remembered at Celtic Park: Sean Boyle, Paddy English, Martin Dever, Joe Young, Christy Cresham, Mickey Guthrie, Eddie Quigley, Joe McCormack, Owen Curtin, Joe Kilroy and Peter Walsh.

Through his later involvement as an official with Castlebar Celtic FC, he became the founder chairman of the Mayo Football League which was set up in the autumn of 1953 in a room owned by Castlebar businessman Michael Heverin at Shamble Lane in the town.

As one of the pioneers of Mayo soccer, Joe McCormack achieved the distinction of being the county's first representative on the FAI Senior Council.

His remains will be reposing at Barley Hill, Newport Road, Westport, this evening (Monday) from 3 to 7 p.m. Burial takes place in Murrisk Cemetery tomorrow (Tuesday) after Requiem Mass in St. Mary's Church, Westport, at 11 a.m.

He is survived by his sons and daughters Margie, Marese, Fergus, Connie, Niall, Caoimhín, Pat and Orla, to whom sympathy is tendered.

Joe is also survived by his daughter-in-law Regina, sons-in-law John and Noel, his 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews and a wide circle of friends.

He was predeceased by his wife, Mary, some time ago.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.